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United States Patent |
5,655,152
|
Ohnishi
,   et al.
|
August 5, 1997
|
System for allocating data output requests to output units having
different output formats in accordance with data output format
compatibility and priority characteristic
Abstract
The present invention provides a server capable of providing a system in
which a client can be reconnected to one server to another to use any
output unit in the system without any prior knowledge thereof. The server
can select an output unit to which the job request should be sent by
referring to correspondence information held therein when the server
receives a job request that specifies neither a type of an output unit nor
a data format. Also, the server can select an available output unit for
data-output in an adequate data format when it receives output data alone,
Further, the server can assign a certain output unit to job requests of
the same kind sent from the same client, manage the accesses to the output
units, distribute output loading according to an output queue to the
server, and select the most appropriate server as per condition set by a
user. As well, the server can easily provide the information of the output
units to a client by managing the information when the client or an output
unit is connected to the server.
Inventors:
|
Ohnishi; Tatsuya (Kawanishi, JP);
Wada; Hiromi (Neyagawa, JP);
Oinuma; Chinatsu (Kobe, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Osaka, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
164921 |
Filed:
|
December 9, 1993 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Dec 10, 1992[JP] | 4-330573 |
| Apr 13, 1993[JP] | 5-086235 |
| Sep 29, 1993[JP] | 5-268132 |
| Oct 26, 1993[JP] | 5-267450 |
Current U.S. Class: |
710/36; 710/38; 710/40 |
Intern'l Class: |
A06F 013/00 |
Field of Search: |
395/600,800,856,858
364/200,519
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3229260 | Jan., 1966 | Falkoff | 395/800.
|
4403286 | Sep., 1983 | Fry et al. | 364/200.
|
4852045 | Jul., 1989 | Kraul et al. | 395/550.
|
4918589 | Apr., 1990 | Floro et al. | 364/132.
|
5014221 | May., 1991 | Mogul | 364/519.
|
5128878 | Jul., 1992 | Gore et al. | 395/162.
|
5179718 | Jan., 1993 | MacPhail | 395/800.
|
5220674 | Jun., 1993 | Morgan et al. | 395/800.
|
5357630 | Oct., 1994 | Oprescu et al. | 395/600.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
2202146 | Aug., 1990 | JP.
| |
2310758 | Dec., 1990 | JP.
| |
3117130 | May., 1991 | JP.
| |
3245633 | Nov., 1991 | JP.
| |
8903086 | Apr., 1989 | WO.
| |
Other References
Larry L. Peterson, A Yellow-Pages Service for a Local-Area Network, 1988,
pp. 235-242.
|
Primary Examiner: Lee; Thomas O.
Assistant Examiner: Luu; Le Hien
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Price, Gess & Ubell
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for allocating a plurality of data output requests from a
plurality of users to a plurality of connected output units of differing
output formats, said system comprising:
means for sending said data output requests;
receiving means for receiving said data output requests;
sending means for sending said data output request from said receiving
means to any of said plurality of connected output units;
first judging means for judging which of said plurality of connected output
units said sending means will send said data output request to, said
judging means judging the compatibility of said connected output units
with the format of said data output request;
user means for inputting a priority characteristic to said data output
request consisting of one of the following characteristics of a shortest
wait time to process said data output request, a highest output resolution
of said data output, a lowest cost to process said data output request,
and a shortest distance from said user to said output unit; and
second judging means for judging from among the plurality of connected
output units judged by said first judging means to be compatible with said
data output request which output unit said sending means will send said
data output request to based on said user inputted priority characteristic
.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server for handling output units by
receiving a job request to the output units from a client.
2. Description of the Related Arts
As electronic units such as a computer have become smaller both in size and
weight, a configuration in which a plurality of clients share output units
connected to a server has become popular. In such a configuration, the
output units including a printer, a facsimile, a plotter, and an
electronic black board are connected to a server, and a client uses these
output units by sending a job request to-the server. Parallel with this
configuration, another configuration in which the client uses output units
connected to another server when it is reconnected thereto due to a change
in its physical location has also become popular.
FIG. 1 depicts the construction of a system for conventional server as an
example, and the explanation thereof will be given in the following. In
the drawing, the output units, a printer 2 and a facsimile 3, are
connected to a server 1 while a printer 5, a facsimile 6, and a plotter 7
to a server 4. A client 8 is initially connected to the server 1. Given
these circumstances, the client 8 sends a job request to a printer control
process 9 or a facsimile control process 10 installed in the server 1 to
use the printer 2 or facsimile 3, respectively. Note that the job request
to the printer control process 9 and that to the facsimile control process
10 are formatted differently.
Next, assume that the client 8 has changed its physical location, and is
now connected to the server 4 for reasons of convenience such as a
distance. Then, the client 8 sends a job request to a printer control
process 11, a facsimile control process 12, or a plotter control process
13 installed in the server 4 to use the printer 5, facsimile 6, or plotter
7, respectively. Note that the job requests to the printer control process
11, facsimile control process 12, and plotter control process 13 are all
formatted differently.
However, the above described conventional system has the following five
problems:
(1) Because different servers require different procedures and data formats
for both the same and different types of output units, a user must check
the proper procedure and data format of an output unit connected to
another server and convert the data format accordingly when the client is
reconnected to that server due to a change in physical location or loading
limit. For example, in the case shown in FIG. 1, where the client 8 is
reconnected to the server 4 from the server 1, the client 8 sends a job
request to the printer control process 11 to use the printer 5. However,
the printer control process 9 of the server 1 and the printer control
process 11 of the server 2 operate on different data formats. Thus, the
user must check the procedure and data format of the printer control
process 11 and convert the data format at the client 8. Assuming that a
UNIX operating system is applied, then, a daemon process called "lpd" is
responsible for the printer control processes 9, 11, and a printer and a
printout format are specified by an entry written in a file called
"printcap"; however, each server uses different entries. Hence, an entry
that specifies the printer 2 of the server 1 does not specify the printer
5 of the server 4. Therefore, the user must check the entry for the
printer 5 to either specify the entry or convert the data format at the
client 8.
2) The user must input information of output units connected to a server
each time the client is reconnected; for no technique such that
automatically provides the information of the output units has been
developed yet. For example, when the client 8 is reconnected to the server
4 from server 1, the client 8 will not have any information of the plotter
7 unless the user inputs it.
3) Different types of output units operate on different procedures and data
formats even when they all are connected to one server. For this reason,
the user must convert a job request to the printer control process 9 in
one data format, and to the facsimile control process 10 in another format
at the client 8, which complicates the operation of the client 8.
4) It is time-consuming to operate the conventional system. Because the
user must input a data-output command in a specific data format for each
output unit; moreover he must collect information as to which output units
are currently available as well as print-out formats and identifiers of
these available output units each time he inputs a data-output command.
5) The user must update the file in the client each time a network
environment changes. More precisely, in the above case, the client 8 files
an identifier specifying an output unit in relation with a server in the
"printcap". For this reason, the user must update the "printcap" with the
most recent information as to server-output unit connection to keep the
system in order.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has an object to provide a server which
can easily select an adequate output unit for a job request from a client,
even when the client has no prior knowledge of any output unit connected
to that server.
The present invention has another object to provide a serviceable server
for the client.
The present invention has another object to provide a server which enables
the client to collect information of output units connected thereto.
The present invention has another object to provide a server capable of
selecting the most suitable output unit for a job request in relation with
the client.
Yet, the present invention has another object to provide a server capable
of ensuring the rational use of the output units by judging the current
status thereof.
The above objects are fulfilled by a server used in a system where a
plurality of clients use at least one output unit connected to the server.
The server comprises a job request receiving device for receiving a job
request from one of the plurality of clients, an information extracting
device for extracting certain information from the job request, an
operability judging device for judging whether each output unit connected
to the server is operable for processing data included in the job request
in accordance with the extracted certain information, and a data output
device for sending the data included in the job request to one of the
output units judged as being operable by the operability judging device.
The job request may include the certain information in the form of an
identifier specifying a type of the operable output unit.
The operability judging device may include a holding unit for holding
output unit information that represents a correspondence between an
identifier specifying each output unit connected to the server and an
identifier specifying a type thereof, and a retrieving unit for retrieving
the output-unit-specifying identifier from the output unit information by
referring to the type-specifying-identifier extracted from the job
request.
The server may further comprise a response receiving device for receiving a
response from the operable output unit specified by the
output-unit-specifying-identifier retrieved from the output unit
information, and a response sending device may include a first sending
unit for sending the response to the job-request-sender-client and a
second sending unit for sending a first job failure notice to the
job-request-sender-client when the operability judging device fails to
judge any operability with each output unit connected to the server.
The server may further comprise a data-sending control device for
controlling the job request receiving device to send the data included in
the job request to the operable output unit by way of the data output
device without using the operability judging device when the job request
includes an identifier specifying the operable output unit, and to send
the job request to the operability judging device when the job request
does not include the identifier specifying the operable output unit.
Each output unit may be connected to the server via network, and the data
output device may include an address specifying unit for specifying a
network address corresponding to the output-unit-specifying-identifier
included in the job request.
Each output unit may be connected to the server via serial line, and the
data output device may include a specifying unit for specifying a port
number connected to the operable output unit by the
output-unit-specifying-identifier included in the job request.
The server may further comprise an access authorization table for
indicating whether an access is authorized or not in relation with each
client and each operable output unit, an authorization judging device for
judging whether an access from the job-request-sender-client to the
operable output unit is authorized or not by referring to the access
authorization table when the operability judging device judges operability
of the output unit, and an inhibiting device for inhibiting the data
output device from sending the data included in the job request to the
operable output unit when the authorization judging device judges the
access as being not authorized.
The response sending device may include a third sending unit for sending a
second job failure notice to the job-request-sender-client when the
inhibiting device inhibits the data output device from sending the data
included in the job request to the operable output unit.
The server may further comprise a history information managing device for
managing history information that represents a correspondence between an
identifier specifying any output unit connected to the server that has
received a job request from any of the plurality of clients and an
identifier specifying a type thereof, a history information retrieving
device for retrieving an identifier that specifies the operable output
unit from the history information at the job request, and a control device
for controlling the job request receiving device to send the data included
in the job request to the operable output unit by way of the data output
device without using the operability judging device when the history
information retrieving device retrieves the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the history information, and to
send the job request to the operability judging device when the history
information retrieving device fails to retrieve the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the history information.
The history information managing device may include a unit for updating the
history information each time the response receiving device receive a
response from any output unit connected to the server.
The first sending unit may include a processing unit for attaching an
identifier specifying the operable output unit that has executed the job
request to the response being sent therefrom.
The server may further comprise a client information holding device for
holding client information including an identifier specifying the client,
an identifier specifying a type of each output unit connected to the
server and an identifier specifying each output unit connected to the
server, and a client information extracting device for extracting an
identifier specifying the operable output unit from the client information
by referring to the type-specifying-identifier extracted by the
information extracting device.
The server may further comprise a first control device for controlling the
job request receiving device to send the data included in the job request
to the operable output unit by way of the data output device without using
the client information extracting device and the operability judging
device when the job request includes the output-unit-specifying-identifier
and to send the job request to the client information extracting device
when the job request does not include the output-unit-specifying
identifier, and a second control device for controlling the job request
receiving device to send the data included in the job request to the
operable output unit by way of the data output device without using the
operability judging device when the client information extracting device
retrieves the output-unit-specifying-identifier from the client
information, and to send the job request to the operability judging device
when the client extracting device fails to retrieve the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the client information.
The server may further comprise a job request judging device for judging
whether the job request to the operable output unit from the client is a
data process request or not, and the first control device and the second
control device may activate only when the job request judging device
judges the job request as being a data process request.
The server may further comprise an information providing device for
requesting the client information holding device and the operability
judging device to send the client information and the output unit
information respectively, end subsequently sending the client information
and the output unit information upon the receipt thereof to the
job-request-sender-client when the job request judging device judges the
job request as being a request to show information to the
job-request-sender-client.
The information providing device may include a priority judging unit for
judging that the client information has a higher priority than the output
unit information to send the client information antecedently to the output
unit information.
The server may further comprise an information updating device for updating
the client information when the job request judging device judges the job
request as being a client information update request.
The operability judging device may include a first holding unit for holding
information representing a correspondence between an identifier specifying
each output unit connected to the server and an identifier specifying a
type thereof, a second holding unit for holding information representing a
correspondence between an identifier specifying another server in the
system and an identifier specifying a type of each output unit connected
thereto, a first retrieving unit for retrieving an identifier specifying
the operable output unit from the first holding unit by referring to the
type-specifying-identifier extracted by the information extracting device,
a second retrieving unit for retrieving an identifier specifying another
server to which an output unit of a same type as specified by the
type-specifying-identifier extracted by the information extracting device
is connected when the first retrieving unit fails to retrieve the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the first holding unit, and an
output unit connecting unit for sending an output unit connecting command
to the data output device only when the first retrieving unit retrieves
the output-unit-specifying-identifier from the first holding unit.
The server may further comprise a request-to-another-server sending device
for sending the job request to the another server by attaching an
identifier specifying the server when the second retrieving unit retrieves
the another-server-specifying-identifier.
The server may further comprise a response receiving device for receiving a
response from one of the operable output unit and the another server, a
response judging device for judging whether the response is sent from the
operable output unit or the another server, and a response sending device
including a first sending unit for sending the response to one of the
job-request-sender-client and the another server, and a second sending
unit for sending a first job failure notice to one of the
job-request-sender-client and the another server when the operability
judging device fails to judge any operability with any output unit
connected to the server and the another server.
The response judging device may judge the response as being a response from
the another server when the response includes both the
another-server-specifying-identifier and an identifier specifying another
client connected thereto, and as being a response from the operable output
unit when the response includes only the identifier specifying the
job-request-sender-client.
The first sending unit may include a processing unit for attaching an
identifier specifying the operable output unit that has executed the job
request to the response being sent therefrom.
The server may further comprise an access authorization table for
indicating whether an access is authorized or not in relation with each
client, each server, and each output unit in the system, an authorization
judging device for judging whether an access is authorized or not for the
job request by referring to the access authorization table when the
operability judging device judges operability of one of the output unit
connected to the server and the another server, and an inhibiting device
for inhibiting the data output device from sending the data included the
Job request to one of the operable output unit and the another server when
the authorization judging device judges the access as being not
authorized.
The response sending device may include a third sending unit for sending a
second job failure notice to the job-request-sender-client when the
inhibiting device inhibits the data output device from sending the data
included in the job request to the operable output unit.
The server may further comprise a history information managing device for
managing history information that represents a correspondence between an
identifier specifying any output unit connected to the server that has
received a job request from any of the plurality of clients and an
identifier specifying a type thereof, a history information retrieving
device for retrieving an identifier that specifies the operable output
unit from the history information at the job request, and a control device
for controlling the job request receiving device to send the data included
in the job request to the operable output unit by way of the data output
device without using the operability judging device when the history
information retrieving device retrieves the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the history information, and to
send the job request to the operability judging device when the history
information retrieving device fails to retrieve the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the history information.
The history information managing device may include a unit for updating the
history information each time the response receiving device receive a
response from any output unit connected to the server.
The server may further comprise a client information holding device for
holding client information that represents a correspondence between an
identifier specifying each client, an identifier specifying each server,
and an identifier specifying a type of each output unit connected to each
server, and an identifier specifying each output unit connected to each
server in the system, and a client information extracting device for
extracting an identifier specifying one of the operable output unit and
the another server from the client information by referring to the
type-specifying-identifier extracted by the information extracting device.
The server may further comprise a first control device for controlling the
job request receiving device to send the data included in the job request
to the operable output unit by way of the data output device without using
the client information extracting device and the operability judging
device when the job request includes the output-unit-specifying-identifier
and to send the job request to the client information extracting device
when the job request does not include the
output-unit-specifying-identifier, and a second control device for
controlling the job request receiving device to send the data included in
the job request by way of the data output device and the
request-to-another-server sending device without using the operability
judging device when the information extracting device extracts the
output-unit-specifying-identifier from the job request, and to send the
job request to the operability judging device when the client information
extracting device fails to extract the output-unit-specifying-identifier
from the job request.
The server may further comprise a job request judging device for judging
whether the job request to the operable output unit from the client is a
data process request or not, and the first control device and the second
control device may activate only when the job request judging device
judges the job request as being a data process request.
The server may further comprise an information providing device for
requesting the client information holding device and the operability
judging device to send the client information and the output unit
information respectively, and subsequently sending the client information
and the output unit information upon the receipt thereof to the
job-request-sender-client when the job request judging device judges the
job request as being a request to show information to the
job-request-sender-client.
The information providing device may include a priority judging unit for
judging that the client information has a higher priority than the output
unit information to send the client information antecedently to the output
unit information.
The server may further comprise an information updating device for updating
the client information when the job request judging device judges the job
request as being a client information update request, and a broadcasting
device for broadcasting the client information update request to each
server in the system.
The server may further comprise an access authorization table for
indicating whether an access is authorized or not in relation with each
client, each server, and each output unit in the system, an authorization
judging device for judging whether the access to the operable output unit
is authorized or not when the operability judging device judges
operability with the output unit for the job request by referring to the
access authorization table, and an inhibiting device for inhibiting the
data output device from sending the data included in the job request to
the operable output unit when the authorization judging device judges the
access as being not authorized.
The response sending device may include a third sending unit for sending a
second job failure notice to the job-request-sender-client when the
inhibiting device inhibits the data output device from sending the data
included in the job request to the operable output unit.
The job request may include an identifier specifying a data format thereof.
The operability judging device may include a holding unit for holding a
plurality of identifiers, each specifying a data format in relation with a
data-output control instruction, by which a job request in a corresponding
data format is executed, a judging unit for judging whether there is a
data-output control instruction corresponding to the data format specified
by the data-format-specifying-identifier included in the job request, and
a reading unit for reading out the corresponding data-output control
instruction when the judging unit judges the existence thereof.
The data output device may include a command sending unit for sending a
data-output command to execute the job request to the operable output unit
by executing the read out data-output control instruction.
The operability judging device may include an access authorization table
for indicating whether an access to each output unit is authorized or not
in relation with each client, an access-authorization-identifier
extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying an access
authorization from the job request from the job-request-sender-client by
judging whether or not the job request from the client includes the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier, and an accessible output unit
detecting unit for detecting an accessible output unit which is placed
under a control of the readout data-output control instruction by
referring to the access authorization table with the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job request.
The identifier specifying the access authorization may be selected from a
group consisting of a user identifier, a client identifier, and a
password, and the access authorization table may be a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between the output-unit-specifying-identifier and
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier corresponding to the client
acquiring the access authorization.
The job request may include information used as a material for a data
format judgement.
The operability judging device may include a first holding unit for holding
a correspondence table showing a correspondence between the information
included in the job request and a data format, an identifier detecting
unit for detecting an identifier specifying a data format in the first
holding unit corresponding to the information included in the job request
from the job-request-sender-client, a second holding unit for holding a
plurality of identifiers, each specifying a data format in relation with a
data-output control instruction, by which a job request in a corresponding
data format is executed, and a reading unit for reading out the
corresponding data-output control instruction when the judging unit judges
the existence thereof.
The data output device may include a command sending unit for sending a
data-output command to execute the job request to the operable output unit
by executing the read out data-output control instruction.
The information included in the job request may include a character
representing the information and a location of the information in the job
request.
The operability judging device may include an access authorization table
for indicating whether an access to each output unit is authorized or not
in relation with each client, an access-authorization-identifier
extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying an access
authorization from the job request from the job-request-sender-client by
judging whether or not the job request from the client includes the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier, and an accessible output unit
detecting unit for detecting an accessible output unit which is placed
under a control of the readout data-output control instruction by
referring to the access authorization table with the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job request.
The identifier specifying the access authorization may be selected from a
group consisting of a user identifier, a client identifier, and a
password, and the access authorization table may be a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between the output-unit-specifying-identifier and
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier corresponding to the client
acquiring the access authorization.
The above objects are also fulfilled by a server used in a system where a
plurality of clients use output units connected to the server. The server
comprises a job request receiving device for receiving a job request from
one of the plurality of clients, an information extracting device for
extracting certain information from the job request, an operability
judging device for judging whether each output unit connected to the
server is operable for processing data included in the job request in
accordance with the extracted certain information, and a data output
device for sending the data included in the job request to one of the
output units judged as being operable by the operability judging device.
The operability judging device may include a holding unit for holding a
plurality of identifiers, each specifying a file format in relation with a
data-output control instruction by which a job request in a corresponding
file format is executed, and a readout unit for reading out a data-output
control instruction in a file format corresponding to the
file-format-specifying-identifier included in the job request from the
holding unit.
The data output device may include a command sending unit for sending a
data-output command to execute the job request to the operable output unit
by executing the read out data-output control instruction.
The operability judging device may include an access authorization table
for indicating whether an access to each output unit is authorized or not
in relation with each client, an access-authorization-identifier
extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying an access
authorization from the job request from the job-request-sender-client by
judging whether or not the job request from the client includes the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier, and an accessible output unit
detecting unit for detecting an accessible output unit which is placed
under a control of the readout data-output control instruction by
referring to the access authorization table with the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job request.
The identifier specifying the access authorization may be selected from a
group consisting of a user identifier, a client identifier, and a
password, and the access authorization table may be a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between the output-unit-specifying-identifier and
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier corresponding to the client
acquiring the access authorization.
The above objects are also fulfilled by a server used in a system where a
plurality of clients use output units connected to the server. The server
comprises a job request receiving device for receiving a job request from
one of the plurality of clients, an information extracting device for
extracting certain information from the job request, an output unit
selecting device for selecting one of the output units in accordance with
the extracted certain information, and a data output device for sending
data included in the job request to the selected output unit.
The job request may include an identifier specifying a data format thereof.
The output unit selecting device may include a holding unit for holding a
plurality of identifiers, each specifying a data format in relation with a
data-output control instruction, by which a job request in a corresponding
data format is executed, a readout unit for reading out a data-output
control instruction corresponding to the data format specified by the
data-format-specifying-identifier included in the job request from the
holding unit, and a selecting unit for selecting the selected output unit
as being an output unit capable of outputting the data included in the job
request by referring to the readout data-output control instruction and
the job request.
The data output device may include a command sending unit for sending a
data-output command to execute the job request to the selected output unit
by executing the readout data-output control instruction read out by the
readout unit.
The selecting unit in the output unit selecting device may include an
access authorization table for indicating whether an access to each output
unit is authorized or not in relation with each client, an
access-authorization-identifier extracting unit for extracting an
identifier specifying an access authorization from the job request from
the job-request-sender-client by judging whether or not the job request
from the client includes the access-authorization-specifying-identifier,
and an accessible output unit detecting unit for detecting an accessible
output unit which is placed under a control of the readout data-output
control instruction by referring to the access authorization table with
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job
request.
The identifier specifying the access authorization may be selected from a
group consisting of a user identifier, a client identifier, and a
password, and the access authorization table may be a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between the output-unit-specifying-identifier and
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier corresponding to the client
acquiring the access authorization.
The selecting unit may further include a loading status obtaining unit for
obtaining a loading status of each output unit detected by the accessible
output unit detecting device when the accessible output unit detecting
device detects a plurality of accessible output units, and a selection
permitting unit for selecting the selected output unit as being an output
unit having a smallest loading status by referring to the obtained loading
status and subsequently permitting data-output thereto.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the loading status may
represent one of the number of bytes stored in the output unit and a time
required for each of the output units to be ready for a following document
data output.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The selecting unit in the output unit selecting device may include a
loading managing unit for storing and managing a loading status of each
output unit in the system, a choice allowing unit for allowing the one
chosen optimal output unit as being the selected output unit on the
condition that the one chosen optimal output unit is placed under a
control of the data-output control instruction read out by the readout
unit and that it has a smaller loading status than a certain value, and an
output unit for outputting the allowed optimal output unit as information
from the selecting unit.
The loading managing unit may include an instruction sending unit for
issuing an instruction to notify a loading status each time the command
sending unit receives a data-output control instruction from the readout
unit to each output unit in the system and placed under the data-output
control instruction, and a loading status storage unit for storing each
loading status sent from each output unit in the system.
The choice allowing unit may include a detecting unit for detecting an
output unit having a smallest loading status when a plurality of the
output units are placed under a control of the data-output control
instruction read out by the readout unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the loading status may
represent one of the number of bytes stored in the output unit and a time
required for each of the output units to be ready for a following document
data output.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The job request may include information used as a material for a data
format judgement.
The output unit selecting device may include a first holding unit for
holding a correspondence table showing a correspondence between the
information included in the job request and a data format, an identifier
detecting unit for detecting an identifier specifying a data format in the
first holding unit corresponding to the information included in the job
request from the job-request-sender-client, a second holding unit for
holding a plurality of identifiers, each specifying a data format in
relation with a data-output control instruction, by which a job request in
a corresponding data format is executed, a readout unit for reading out a
data-output control instruction corresponding to the data format specified
by the data-format-specifying-identifier included in the job request from
the first holding unit, and a selecting unit for selecting the selected
output unit as being an output unit capable of outputting the data
included in the job request by referring to the readout data-output
control instruction and the job request.
The operability judging device may include an access authorization table
for indicating whether an access to each output unit is authorized or not
in relation with each client, an access-authorization-identifier
extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying an access
authorization from the job request from the job-request-sender-client by
judging whether or not the job request from the client includes the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier, and an accessible output unit
detecting unit for detecting an accessible output unit which is placed
under a control of the readout data-output control instruction by
referring to the access authorization table with the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job request.
The information included in the job request may include a character
representing the information and a location of the information in the job
request.
The selecting unit in the output unit selecting device may include an
access authorization table for indicating whether an access to each output
unit is authorized or not in relation with each client, an
access-authorization-identifier extracting unit for extracting an
identifier specifying an access authorization from the job request from
the job-request-sender-client by judging whether or not the job request
from the client includes the access-authorization-specifying-identifier,
and an accessible output unit detecting unit for detecting an accessible
output unit which is placed under a control of the readout data-output
control instruction by referring to the access authorization table with
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job
request.
The identifier specifying the access authorization may be selected from a
group consisting of a user identifier, a client identifier, and a
password, and the access authorization table may be a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between the output-unit-specifying-identifier and
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier corresponding to the client
acquiring the access authorization.
The selecting unit may further include a loading status obtaining unit for
obtaining a loading status of each output unit detected by the accessible
output unit detecting device when the accessible output unit detecting
device detects a plurality of accessible output units, and a selection
permitting unit for selecting the selected output unit as being an output
unit having a smallest loading status by referring to the obtained loading
status and subsequently permitting data-output thereto.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the loading status may
represent one of the number of bytes stored in the output unit and a time
required for each of the output units to be ready for a following document
data output.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The selecting unit in the output unit selecting device may include a
loading managing unit for storing and managing a loading status of each
output unit in the system, a choice allowing unit for allowing the one
chosen optimal output unit as being the selected output unit on the
condition that the one chosen optimal output unit is placed under a
control of the data-output control instruction read out by the readout
unit and that it has a smaller loading status than a certain value, and an
output unit for outputting the allowed optimal output unit as information
from the selecting unit.
The loading managing unit may include an instruction sending unit for
issuing an instruction to notify a loading status each time the command
sending unit receives a data-output control instruction from the readout
unit to each output unit in the system and placed under the data-output
control instruction, and a loading status storage unit for storing each
loading status sent from each output unit in the system.
The choice allowing unit may include a detecting unit for detecting an
output unit having a smallest loading status when a plurality of the
output units are placed under a control of the data-output control
instruction read out by the readout unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the loading status may
represent one of the number of bytes stored in the output unit and a time
required for each of the output units to be ready for a following document
data output.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The above objects are also fulfilled by a server used in a system where a
plurality of clients use output units connected to the server. The server
comprises a job request receiving device for receiving a job request from
one of the plurality of clients, a file format judging device for judging
a file format of data included in the job request, an output unit
selecting device for selecting the one output unit in accordance with the
extracted certain information, and a data output device for sending data
included in the job request to the selected output unit.
The output unit selecting device may include a holding unit for holding a
plurality of identifiers, each specifying a file format in relation with a
data-output control instruction, by which a job request in a corresponding
file format is executed, a readout unit for reading out a data-output
control instruction in a file format corresponding to the
file-format-specifying-identifier included in the job request from the
holding unit, and a selecting unit for selecting the one output unit as
being an output unit capable of outputting the data included in the job
request by referring to the readout data-output control instruction and
the identifier specifying the file format.
The data output device may include a command sending unit for sending a
data-output command to execute the job request to the selected output unit
by executing the readout data-output control instruction read out by the
readout unit.
The selecting unit in the output unit selecting device may include an
access authorization table for indicating whether an access to each output
unit is authorized or not in relation with each client, an
access-authorization-identifier extracting unit for extracting an
identifier specifying an access authorization from the job request from
the job-request-sender-client by judging whether or not the job request
from the client includes the access-authorization-specifying-identifier,
and an accessible output unit detecting unit for detecting an accessible
output unit which is placed under a control of the readout data-output
control instruction by referring to the access authorization table with
the access-authorization-specifying-identifier included in the job
request.
The identifier specifying the access authorization may be selected from a
group consisting of a user identifier, a client identifier, and a
password, and the access authorization table may be is a correspondence
table showing a correspondence between the
output-unit-specifying-identifier and the
access-authorization-specifying-identifier corresponding to the client
acquiring the access authorization.
The selecting unit may further include a loading status obtaining unit for
obtaining a loading status of each output unit detected by the accessible
output unit detecting device when the accessible output unit detecting
device detects a plurality of accessible output units, and a selection
permitting unit for selecting the selected output unit as being an output
unit having a smallest loading status by referring to the obtained loading
status and subsequently permitting data-output thereto.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the loading status may
represent one of the number of bytes stored in the output unit and a time
required for each of the output units to be ready for a following document
data output.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The selecting unit in the output unit selecting device may include a
loading managing unit for storing and managing a loading status of each
output unit in the system, a choice allowing unit for allowing the one
chosen optimal output unit as being the selected output unit on the
condition that the one chosen optimal output unit is placed under a
control of the data-output control instruction read out by the readout
unit and that it has a smaller loading status than a certain value, and an
output unit for outputting the allowed optimal output unit as information
from the selecting unit.
The loading managing unit may include an instruction sending unit for
issuing an instruction to notify a loading status each time the command
sending unit receives a data-output control instruction from the readout
unit to each output unit in the system and placed under the data-output
control instruction, and a loading status storage unit for storing each
loading status sent from each output unit in the system.
The choice allowing unit may include a detecting unit for detecting an
output unit having a smallest loading status when a plurality of the
output units are placed under a control of the data-output control
instruction read out by the readout unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the loading status may
represent one of the number of bytes stored in the output unit and a time
required for each of the output units to be ready for a following document
data output.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The selecting unit may further include a capability storage unit for
storing a capability of each output unit in the system, a capability
identifier extracting unit for extracting an identifier specifying a
capability of the selected output unit from the job request, and an
optimal output unit detecting unit for detecting all optimal output units
whose capabilities coincide with a capability specified by the
capability-specifying-identifier when the selecting unit selects a
plurality of the output units to be as the selected output unit.
Each output unit in the system may be a unit capable of outputting document
data including a printer and a facsimile, and the
capability-specifying-identifier included in the job request may represent
one of a resolution, a data-output speed, a cost of data-output, a
distance from the client to the selected output unit.
The capability storage unit may store superiority and inferiority
information of the capability of each output unit in the system, and the
optimal output unit detecting unit may include a choosing unit for
choosing one optimal output unit by referring to the superiority and
inferiority information when the optimal output unit detecting unit
detects a plurality of the output units as being the optimal output unit.
The above objects are also fulfilled by a server and a client used in a
network system including a plurality of servers, a plurality of clients,
and a plurality of output units, where each client sends output-data to
one of the plurality of output units via at least one of the servers.
One of the servers comprises a receiving device for receiving a request, a
correspondence table holding device for holding a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between each of the plurality of servers and each
of the plurality of output units, and an information-to-client sending
device for sending information held in the correspondence table to a
client that has sent the request. Each of the plurality of clients
comprises a requesting device for requesting information held in the
corresponding table, and a storage control device including a storage unit
for receiving to store the information held in the corresponding table.
The receiving device may include a first request processing unit for
judging whether the request sent from one of the plurality of clients is
an information request or not, and subsequently sending the request to the
information-to-client sending device when it judges the request as being
an information request, and the information-to-client sending device may
include a retrieving unit for retrieving information requested by the
information request from the correspondence table, and a sending unit for
sending the selected information to the request-sender-client.
The server may further comprise an updated correspondence table
transmitting device for updating the correspondence table held in the
correspondence table holding device at a request to update information in
the correspondence table sent from an operator, and subsequently sending
the updated correspondence table to each of the plurality of clients, and
the receiving device may include a second request processing unit for
judging whether the request is the update request from the operator or
not, and subsequently sending the update request to the updated
correspondence table transmitting device when it judges the request as
being an update request the updated correspondence table transmitting
device.
The updated information transmitting device may include a readout unit for
reading out the correspondence table held in the correspondence table
holding device, a judging unit for judging whether or not the information
in the readout correspondence table is changeable as per. the update
request, an information updating unit for updating the information in the
read out correspondence table when the judging unit judges the read out
correspondence table as being changeable, a storing control unit for
storing the correspondence table updated by the information updating unit
into the correspondence table holding device, a first transmitting unit
for transmitting the updated correspondence table to each of the plurality
of clients, and a second transmitting unit for transmitting an update
failure notice to the operator when the judging unit judges the read out
correspondence table as being unchangeable.
The server may further comprise an access authorization information holding
device for holding access authorization information as to whether an
access authorization for each of the plurality of clients to each of the
plurality of output units specified by an identifier, and an
information-to-authorized client sending device for reading out the access
authorization information from the access authorization information
holding device at the information request, and subsequently sending the
read out access authorization information to the request-sender-client who
acquires an access authorization to the output unit by referring to the
readout access authorization information with an identifier specifying the
output unit.
The information-to-authorized-client sending device may include a selecting
unit for reading out the correspondence table from the correspondence
table holding device and subsequently selecting the information requested
by the information request sent therefrom, a judging unit for reading out
the access authorization information from the access authorization
information holding device and subsequently judging whether or not the
selected information indicates that the request-sender-client acquires the
access authorization to the output unit, a first sending unit for sending
the selected information to the request-sender-client when the judging
unit judges the access to the output unit from the request-sender-client
as being authorized, and a second sending unit for sending a failure
notice to the client that has sent the information request when the
judging device judges the access to the output unit from the
request-sender-client as being not authorized.
The server may further comprise an access authorization information holding
device for holding access authorization information as to whether an
access authorization for each of the plurality of clients to each of the
plurality of output units specified by an identifier, and an
information-to-authorized client sending device for reading out the access
authorization information from the access authorization information
holding device at the information request, and subsequently sending the
read out access authorization information to the request-sender-client who
acquires an access authorization to the output unit by referring to the
readout access authorization information with an identifier specifying the
output unit.
The information-to-authorized-client sending device may include a selecting
unit for reading out the correspondence table from the correspondence
table holding device and subsequently selecting the information requested
by the information request sent therefrom, a judging unit for reading out
the access authorization information from the access authorization
information holding device and subsequently judging whether or not the
selected information indicates that the request-sender-client acquires the
access authorization to the output unit, a first sending unit for sending
the selected information to the request-sender-client when the judging
unit judges the access to the output unit from the request-sender-client
as being authorized, and a second sending unit for sending a failure
notice to the client that has sent the information request when the
judging device judges the access to the output unit from the
request-sender-client as being not authorized.
The server may further include a first update authorization correspondence
table transmitting device comprising a readout unit for reading out the
corresponding table from the correspondence table holding device upon the
receipt of a request to update information in the corresponding table from
an operator, a judging unit for judging whether the readout correspondence
table is changeable or not as per the update request, a storing control
unit for reading out the access authorization information from the access
authorization information holding device when the judging unit judges the
readout correspondence table as being changeable, and subsequently
selecting the client as being a client which acquires the access
authorization to the output unit to update the correspondence table held
in the correspondence table holding device, and a sending unit for sending
the updated correspondence table to the client which acquires the access
authorization to the output unit in accordance with the access
authorization information, and the receiving device may include a third
request processing unit for judging whether or not the request is the
update request, and subsequently sending the update request to the first
update authorization correspondence table transmitting device when it
judges the request as being a request to update the correspondence table.
The server may further include a second update authorization correspondence
table transmitting device for updating the access authorization
information in accordance with a request to update the access
authorization information from an operator upon the receipt thereof, and
subsequently storing the updated access authorization information into the
access authorization information holding device to send the updated access
authorization information to the plurality of clients, and the receiving
device may include a fourth request processing unit for judging whether or
not the request from the operator is the authorization-update request, and
subsequently sending the authorization-update request to the second update
authorization correspondence table transmitting device when it judges the
request as being an authorization-update request.
The server may further include a third update authorization correspondence
table transmitting device for updating the access authorization
information in accordance with a request to update the access
authorization information from an operator upon the receipt thereof, and
subsequently storing the updated access authorization information into the
access authorization information holding device to send the updated access
authorization information to the plurality of clients, and the receiving
device may include a fifth request processing unit for judging whether or
not the request from the operator is the authorization-update request, and
subsequently sending the authorization-update request to the third update
authorization correspondence table transmitting device when it judges the
request as being an authorization-update request.
According to the above construction, even when the client sends a job
request that specifies either the data format or type of the output unit
or a job request that specifies neither the data format nor the type of
the output unit, the server can select a corresponding output unit.
Therefore, when the client is reconnected to another server due to a
change its physical location or a loading limit, the client can use any
output unit connected to the new server in the same as the previously
connected server.
Also, the client can collect information as to which output units are
currently available by sending the information request, and if necessary,
update the information by sending the update request, making it possible
to use an output unit other than a default output unit.
Also, the operation of the client can be simplified by enabling the client
to send the job request without converting the data format or changing
procedure for each output unit.
Moreover, the server can manage the access authorization to each output
unit collectively.
Furthermore, the job requests specifying the same type of output unit from
the same client will always be sent to a single output unit even when
several output units of the same type are connected to one server.
In addition, the job request specifying the same type of output unit from
the same client will always be sent as output-unit-specifying job request
from the second occurrence, making it unnecessary for the server to refer
to the output unit information, which results in reducing loading thereof.
Also, according to the above construction, the server can select an
appropriate output unit for data-output without any prior knowledge of the
identifier and data format of the output unit, so that the client does not
have to hold information as to identifier of each output unit.
Further, the server can select an appropriate output unit that satisfies
data-output condition such as an access authorization, loading, and
resolution without any prior knowledge of the identifier and data format
of the output unit.
As well, without any input from the operator, the client can collect the
setting information of the output units by sending the information request
to the server, and the client can automatically receive the most recent
information when any setting information in the server changes.
Moreover, the server can manage the access authorization to each output
unit collectively by sending the setting information only to the clients
which acquire the access authorization shown in the correspondence table.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will
become apparent from the following description thereof taken in
conjugation with the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific
embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a conventional
server;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of a server in
accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a view showing the contents of output unit information used in
the first embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart detailing the operation of a job request processing
unit in the first embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit managing
unit in the first embodiment;
FIG. 6 is a view showing three record formats used in the first embodiment;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the construction of a server in
accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a view showing the contents of client information in the second
embodiment;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart detailing a request processing unit in the second
embodiment;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a first sub-routine of the flowchart in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a second sub-routine of the flowchart in FIG. 9;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a third sub-routine of the flowchart in FIG. 9;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart detailing the operation of a client information
managing unit in the second embodiment;
FIG. 14 is a flowchart detailing a first sub-routine of the flowchart in
FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a flowchart detailing a second sub-routine of the flowchart in
FIG. 13;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit managing
unit in the second embodiment;
FIG. 17 is a flowchart detailing a first sub-routine of the flowchart in
FIG. 16;
FIG. 18 is a flowchart detailing a second sub-routine of the flowchart in
FIG. 16;
FIG. 19 is a view showing three record formats used in the second
embodiment;
FIG. 20 is another view showing three record formats used in the second
embodiment;
FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing the construction of a server in
accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a part of a flowchart detailing the operation of a request
processing unit in the third embodiment;
FIG. 23 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit managing
unit in the third embodiment;
FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing the construction of a server in
accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a view showing the contents held in a correspondence table used
in the fourth embodiment;
FIG. 26 is a view showing two record formats used in the fourth embodiment;
FIG. 27 is a view showing a record format used in the fifth embodiment;
FIG. 28 is a block diagram showing the construction of a server in
accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 29 is a view showing the contents of history information used in the
sixth embodiment;
FIG. 30 is a view showing three record formats used in the sixth
embodiment;
FIG. 31 is a block diagram showing a construction of a server at combining
the first through fourth and sixth embodiments;
FIG. 32 is a view showing a construction of a server in accordance with a
seventh embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 33(a) is a view showing data format of a data-output request inputted
into a request processing unit;
FIG. 33(b) is a view showing the data held in an output unit information
storage unit in the seventh embodiment;
FIG. 34 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit selecting
unit in the seventh embodiment;
FIG. 35 is a view showing the construction of a server in accordance with
an eighth embodiment of the present embodiment;
FIG. 36(a) is a view showing a data format of a data-output request
inputted into a request processing unit;
FIG. 36(b) is a view showing the contents held in a correspondence table
used in the eight embodiment;
FIG. 37 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit selecting
unit in the eighth embodiment;
FIG. 38 is a view showing the construction of a server in accordance with a
ninth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 39(a) is a view showing a data format of a data-output request
inputted into a request processing unit;
FIG. 39(b) is a view showing the contents held in a correspondence table
used in the ninth embodiment;
FIG. 40 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit selecting
unit in the ninth embodiment;
FIG. 41 is a view showing the construction of a server in accordance with a
tenth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 42 is a view of the contents held in a correspondence table used in
the tenth embodiment;
FIG. 43 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit selecting
unit in the tenth embodiment;
FIG. 44 is a view showing the construction of a server in accordance with
the eleventh embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 45(a) is a view showing a data format of a data-output request
inputted into a request processing unit;
FIG. 45(b) is a view showing the contents held in a correspondence table
used in the eleventh embodiment;
FIG. 46 is a flowchart detailing the operation of an output unit selecting
unit in the eleventh embodiment;
FIG. 47 is a view showing the construction of a server in accordance with a
twelfth embodiment;
FIG. 48(a) is a data format of an information request inputted into a
request processing unit in the twelfth embodiment;
FIG. 48(b) is a data format of an information request inputted int a
request processing unit in the twelfth embodiment;
FIG. 49 is a view showing the contents of a correspondence table used in
the twelfth embodiment;
FIG. 50 is a view showing the construction of a client in the twelfth
embodiment;
FIG. 51 is a data format of a setting request inputted into a request
processing unit in the twelfth embodiment;
FIG. 52 is a flowchart detailing the operation of a transmitting unit in a
server in the twelfth embodiment;
FIG. 53 is a flowchart detailing the operation of a server in the twelfth
embodiment;
FIG. 54 is a view showing the construction of a server in accordance with a
thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 55 (a) is a view showing the contents of a correspondence table used
in the thirteenth embodiment;
FIG. 55(b) is a view showing a data format of an update request inputted
into a request processing unit in the thirteenth embodiment; and
FIG. 56 is a flowchart detailing the operation of the a server in the
thirteenth embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the followings, thirteen embodiments of a server of the present
invention will be explained with referring to FIG. 2 through FIG. 56.
First Embodiment
The construction of a server in accordance with the first embodiment is
depicted in FIG. 2. In the drawing, output units including a PostScript(a
registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated) printer 22, a text
printer 23, a facsimile 24 are connected to a server 21, and a client 25
is also connected to the server 21 to use these output units. The server
21 has installed a job request processing unit 26 and an output unit
managing unit 27.
The job request processing unit 26 handles a variety of job requests to the
output units from the client 25.
The output unit managing unit 27 holds and manages a correspondence table
showing a correspondence between identifiers specifying a type of an
output unit and the output unit as is shown in FIG. 3. The correspondence
table is hereinafter referred to as output unit information. The output
unit managing unit 27 also forwards the job request from the job request
processing unit 26 to one of the output units, and also returns a response
therefrom to the job request processing unit 26 and further to the client
25.
The output unit identifier in the output unit information specifies one
particular output unit and is, in practice, an entry, with which the
server 21 can access to that particular output unit. For example, when the
output units are connected to the server 21 via network, the identifier is
a network address, whereas when the output units are connected to the
server via serial line, it is a port number connected to that particular
output unit.
The operation of the server 21 constructed as above will be explained with
referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, which detail the operations of the job request
processing unit 26 and output unit managing unit 27, respectively.
Prior to the explanation, it should be understood that each job request and
response is sent in the form of a data format called a record. Thus, the
client 25 sends a job request record 110 to the job request processing
unit 26 in the server 21 to use one of the output units. The job request
record 110 is formatted as is shown FIG. 6, and it includes information
111 identifying itself as being a job request, a request sender client
identifier 112, an output unit type identifier 113(hereinafter, simply
referred to as type identifier 113), and transmission data 114. The type
identifier 113 specifies a type of the output unit such as the printer,
facsimile, plotter and electronic black board, and a model thereof such as
a print-out format of the printer.
Once the job request processing unit 26 receives the job request record
110(Step 1), it forwards the job request record 110 to the output unit
managing unit 27(Step 2). Upon the receipt of the job request record
110(Step 11), the output unit managing unit 27 extracts the type
identifier 113 therefrom(Step 12), and retrieves the output unit
information(Step 13) to obtain a corresponding output unit identifier from
an entry for the same type of the output units (Step 14). Accordingly, the
output unit managing unit 27 secures a communication with the output unit
specified by the output unit identifier in that entry(Step 15); it
specifies either a network address or a port number of the specified
output unit to establish a connection or to acquire an access
authorization.
Subsequently, the output unit managing unit 27 extracts and sends the
transmission data 114 from the job request record 110 to the specified
output unit(Step 16).
Accordingly, the specified output unit processes the transmission data 114
as per job request, and returns a certain response to the output unit
managing unit 27(Step 17). The output unit managing unit 27 in turn
generates a response record 120 with the response, and sends the response
record 120 to the job request processing unit 26(Step 18). The response
record 120 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 6, and it includes information
112 identifying itself as being a response, a response receiver client
identifier 122, and response data 123. Note that the response receiver
client identifier 122 stores the same value as the request sender client
identifier 112 in the job request record 110, and the response data 123
are the data related to the response from the output unit.
Once the job request processing unit 26 receives the response record
120(Step 3), it extracts and sends the response data 123 alone to the
client 25 specified by the response receiver client identifier 122(Step
4).
When the output unit information includes no entry for the type identifier
113 in Step 14, the output unit managing unit 27 generates and sends a
failure notice record 130 to the job request processing unit 26 instead of
securing a communication with any output unit(Step 19). The failure notice
record 130 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 6, and it includes information
131 identifying itself as being a failure notice, a response receiver
client identifier 132, and data 133 exhibiting a failure. Note that the
response receiver client identifier 132 stores the same value as the
request sender client identifier 112 in the job request record 110.
Once the job request processing unit 26 receives the failure notice record
130(Step 5), it extracts and sends the data 133 alone(Step 6) to the
client 25 specified by the response receiver client identifier 132(Step
4).
As has been described, by managing the output unit information at the
output unit managing unit 27, the server 21 can automatically select an
adequate output unit and send the data for a job execution when it
receives a job request that specifies the type of the output unit alone.
SECOND EMBODIMENT
The construction of a server in accordance with the second embodiment is
depicted in FIG. 7. Compared with the first embodiment, a server 28 of the
second embodiment additionally includes a client information managing unit
29 to enable to provide information of the output units to the client 25
or update the information stored therein. As is shown in FIG. 8, the
client information managing unit 29 holds a plurality of entries, and each
entry includes client information composed of a client identifier, an
output unit type identifier, and an output unit identifier. Thus, the
client information managing unit 29 extracts an adequate entry in
accordance with a client information request record from the job request
processing unit 26. The client information request record will be
described later. Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like
reference numerals with respect to the first embodiment, and the
description of these components is not repeated.
The operation of the server 28 is detailed by the flowcharts in FIGS. 9
through 18, and an explanation thereof will be given in the following.
First, how the server 28 handles a job request will be explained.
The client 25 sends the job request record 110 to the job request
processing unit 26 in the server 28 to use one of the output units
connected thereto. Upon the receipt of the job request record 110(Step 31
in FIG. 9), the job request processing unit 26 calls out a sub-routine
detailed by the flowchart in FIG. 10(Step 32). Then, the job request
processing unit 26 confirms that the job request record 110 does not
specifies the output unit(Step 321), and generates and sends a client
information request record 210 to the client information managing unit
29(Step 322). The job request processing unit 26 requests client
information to ensure whether or not the client 25 that has sent the job
request specifies any particular output unit for the specified type. The
client information request record 210 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 19,
and it includes information 211 identifying itself as being a client
information request, a request sender client identifier 212, and an output
unit type identifier 213.
When the client information managing unit 29 receives the client
information request record 210(Step 41 in FIG. 13), it calls out a
sub-routine detailed by the flowchart in FIG. 14(Step 42). Then, the
client information managing unit 29 retrieves an entry whose client
identifier and output unit type identifier respectively coincide with the
request sender client identifiers 212 and type identifier 213(Step 421,
Step 422). Accordingly, the client information managing unit 29 generates
and sends a client information record 220 to the job request processing
unit 26(Step 423, Step 424). The client information record 220 is
formatted as is shown in FIG. 19, and it includes information 221
identifying itself as being a client information, a request sender client
identifier 222, an output unit type identifier 223, and an output unit
identifier 224. Note that the request sender client identifier 222 and
type identifier 223 store the same value as the request sender client
identifier 212 and type identifier 213 in the client information request
record 210, respectively. When the client information includes an entry
such that satisfies the above identifier-coincidence condition, the output
unit identifier 224 stores the same value as the output unit identifier in
that entry; otherwise, the output unit identifier 224 stores a unique
value exhibiting "no-entry". For example, the unique value may have 0 and
the value for the output unit identifier may have a positive integer.
When the job request processing unit 26 receives the client information
record 220, it sends either the job request record 110 or another type of
job request, i.e., an output-unit-specifying job request 230, to the
output unit managing unit 27 depending on what the output unit identifier
224 stores: when the output unit identifier 224 stores the unique value
exhibiting "no-entry" (Step 323 in FIG. 10), the job request processing
unit 26 only forwards the job request record 110 from the client 25(Step
326) to the output unit managing unit 27 because no particular output unit
can be specified here; when the output unit identifier 224 stores a value
of the output unit identifier(Step 323), the job request processing unit
26 generates and sends the output-unit-specifying job request record
230(Step 324). The output-unit-specifying job request record 230 is
formatted as is shown in FIG. 19, and it includes information 231
identifying itself as being an output-unit-specifying job request, a
request sender client identifier 232, an output unit identifier 233, and
transmission data 234. Note that the request sender client identifier 232
and transmission data 234 respectively store the same value as the request
sender client identifier 112 and the transmission data 114 in the job
request record 110, while the output unit identifier 233 stores the same
value as the output unit identifier 224 in the client information record
220.
In this way, the output unit managing unit 27 receives either the job
request record 110 or output-unit-specifying job request record 230 from
the job request processing unit 26(Step 51 in FIG. 16). Thus, it judges
whether it received the output-unit-specifying job request record 230 or
not(Step 52). In case of NO, the output unit managing unit 27 operates in
the same way as the first embodiment by repeating Steps 12 and the
following Steps in FIG. 5(Step 54). Otherwise, the output unit managing
unit 27 calls out a sub-routine detailed by the flowchart in FIG. 17(Step
53). Then, the output unit managing unit 27 immediately secures a
communication with the output unit specified by the output unit identifier
233 in the output-unit-specifying job request record 230 without
retrieving the output unit information(Step 531), as well as sending the
transmission data 234 to the specified output unit(Step 532). Having sent
the transmission data 234, the output unit managing unit 27 awaits for a
response from the specified output unit(Step 533), and generates and sends
the response record 120 upon the receipt of the response to the job
request processing unit 26(Step 534).
When the client 25 prefers to send a job request with directly specifying a
particular output unit, the client 25 may generate the
output-unit-specifying job request record 230. In this case, the client 25
specifies the output unit identifier 233 of the desired output unit, so
that the job request processing unit 26 forwards the
output-unit-specifying job request record 230 directly to the output unit
managing unit 27(Step 321 to Step 324, skipping Step 322, Step 323 in FIG.
10). The output unit managing unit 27 accordingly sends the transmission
data 234 to the output unit specified by the output unit identifier 233
without referring to the output unit information. The specified output
unit returns a response to the client 25 in the same way as described
above. Therefore, the job request processing unit 26 has no communication
with the client information managing unit 29 in this case. It should be
noted that the client 25 may send the output-unit-specifying job request
record 230 in the first embodiment as well.
Next, how the server 28 provides the client information to the client 25
will be explained.
The client 25 sends a client information request record 310 to the job
request processing unit 26 in the server 28(Step 33 in FIG. 9). The client
information request record 310 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 20, and it
includes information 311 identifying itself as being a client information
request, a request sender client identifier 312, and an output unit type
identifier 313. Note that the client information request record 310 may
include a plurality of the type identifiers 313 to specify a plurality of
types of the output units or store a unique value that specifies all types
of the output units. For example, the unique value may have 0, and the
value for the type identifier 313 may have a positive integer.
Upon the receipt of the client information request record 310(Step 33), the
job request processing unit 26 calls out a sub-routine detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 11(Step 34), and subsequently sends the client
information request record 310 to both the output unit managing unit 27
and client information managing unit 29(Step 341).
Upon the receipt of the client information request record 310(Step 41), the
client information managing unit 29 extracts an adequate entry from the
client information in the same way when the client 25 sends the job
request record 110 (Step 421 in FIG. 14). More precisely, the client
information managing unit 29 extracts an entry whose client identifier
coincides with the request sender client identifier 312, and whose output
unit type identifier coincides with one of the values stored of the type
identifier 313; the entry must include output unit type identifiers
specifying all the types when the type identifier 313 has stored the
unique value. Accordingly, the client information managing unit 29
generates and sends a client information record 330 from the extracted
entry to the job request processing unit 26(Step 423). The client
information record 330 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 20, and it
includes information 331 identifying itself as being a client information,
a request sender client identifier 332, an output unit type identifier
333, and an output unit identifier 334. Note that the client information
record 330 may include a plurality of pairs of the type identifier 333 and
output unit identifier 334 to sequentially store all of the corresponding
identifiers in the extracted entry.
On the other hand, when the output unit managing unit 27 receives the
client information request record 310 from the job request processing unit
26(Step 55 in FIG. 16), it calls out a sub-routine detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 18(Step 56). Then, the output unit managing unit 27
extracts an adequate entry from the output unit information shown in FIG.
3(Step 561). More precisely, the output unit managing unit 27 extracts an
entry whose output unit type identifier coincides with one of the values
of the type identifiers 313; the entry must include output unit type
identifiers specifying all the types when the type identifier 313 has
stored the unique value. Accordingly, the output unit managing unit 27
generates and sends an output unit information record 320 to the job
request processing unit 26(Step 562). The output unit information record
320 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 20, and it includes information 321
identifying itself as being an output unit information, a request sender
client identifier 322, an output unit type identifier 323, and an output
unit identifier 324. Note that the output unit information record 320 may
include a plurality of pairs of the type identifier 323 and output unit
identifier 324 to sequentially store all of the corresponding identifiers
included in the extracted entry.
In this way, the job request processing unit 26 receives the client
information record 330 and output unit information record 320 respectively
from the client information managing unit 29 and output unit managing unit
27(Step 342 in FIG. 11). The job request processing unit 26 accordingly
updates the client information record 330 already stored therein by
generating a new client information record 330 with the client information
record 330 and output unit information record 320 it has just received.
With respect to an output unit type specified by only one of the two
records, the job request processing unit 26 adds the type and output unit
thereof as the type identifiers 323 and output unit identifier 324 of the
new client information record 330, respectively(Step 344). Whereas with
respect to an output unit type specified by both the two records, the job
request processing unit 26 adds each type and output unit specified by the
client information record 330 as the type identifier 323 and output unit
identifier 324 of the new client information record 330, respectively(Step
345). By so doing, the job request processing unit 26 gives a higher
priority to the entries included in the original client information 330.
Note that the request sender client identifier 332 in the new client
information record 330 stores the same value as the identifier 332 in the
previous one. Once the job request processing unit 26 generates the new
client information record 330, it sends the new client information record
330 to the client 25 that has sent the client information request record
310 (Step 346).
Next, how the server 28 updates the client information record 330 will be
explained.
The client 25 sends a client information update request record 340 to the
job request processing unit 26(Step 35 in FIG. 9). The client information
update request record 340 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 20, and it
includes information 341 identifying itself as being a client information
update request, a request sender client identifier 342, an output unit
type identifier 343, and an output unit identifier 344.
Upon the receipt of the client information update request 340, the job
request processing unit 26 calls out the sub-routine detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 12(Step 36). Then, the job request processing unit 26
forwards the client information update request record 340 to the client
information managing unit 29(Step 361 in FIG. 12).
Upon the receipt of the client information update request record 340(Step
43 in FIG. 13), the client information managing unit 29 calls out the
sub-routine detailed by the flowchart in FIG. 15(Step 44), and retrieves
from the client information an entry whose client identifier and output
unit type identifier coincide with the request sender client identifier
342 and type identifier 343, respectively(Step 441). If the client
information managing unit 29 retrieves such an entry(Step 442), it updates
the value of the output unit identifier in the entry by replacing it with
that of the output unit identifier 344(Step 443). If the client
information managing unit 29 fails to retrieve such an entry, it adds an
entry composed of the identifiers having the same values as the request
sender client identifier 342, type identifier 343, and output unit
identifier 344 in client information update request record 340 to the
client information(Step 444).
As has been described, by holding the client information managing unit 29,
the server 28 can provide the information of the output units into the
client 25 and update the client information by means of the client 25.
THIRD EMBODIMENT
The construction of a server in accordance with the third embodiment is
depicted in FIG. 21. Compared with the first embodiment, a server 30 of
the third embodiment is connected to a server 31 and a server 32, so that
the servers 31, 32 can send job requests to the printer 22 and/or
facsimile 24, or the client 25 can send a job request to the server 31 or
32 to use unillustrated output units connected thereto. For this reason,
the flowchart in FIG. 4 detailing the operation of the request managing
unit 26 is partly replaced with the one in FIG. 22. Also, the flowchart in
FIG. 5 detailing the operation of the output unit managing unit 27 is
replaced with the one in FIG. 23. Further, the output unit information
held in the output unit managing unit 27 includes the information of the
unillustrated output units connected to the servers 31, 32 besides that of
the output units connected to the server 30(the printer 22 and facsimile
24). Note that, however, the output unit information includes information
showing to which server the output unit is connected and a server
identifier. Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like reference
numerals with respect to the first embodiment, and the description of
these components is not repeated.
First, the explanation of the operation of the server 30 when the job
request processing unit 26 receives a job request record 110 from another
server(herein the server 31) will be given.
The job request record 110 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 6; however, the
request sender client identifier 112 additionally includes the server
identifier(herein the server 31). The job request processing unit 26
operates in the same way as was explained by the flowchart in FIG. 4
except for Step 4, where the response record 120 is generated and sent,
and the output unit managing unit 27 operates in the same way as the first
embodiment by proceeding to Step 101, Step 102, Step 103 and Step 108. In
other words, the job request processing unit 26 receives the job request
record 110, selects an adequate output unit by referring to the type
identifier 113 therein, sends the transmission data 114 to the specified
output unit for the job execution as if the job request processing unit 26
received the job request record 110 from the client 25. Note that,
however, the output unit managing unit 27 stores a pair of the server
identifier and request sender client identifier 112 into the response
receiver client identifier 122 in the response record 120 in this case.
Thus the job request processing unit 26 judges whether it should send the
response record 120 to the client 25 or server 31(Step 401 in FIG. 22).
When the job request processing unit 26 detect such a pair, it sends the
response record 120 to the server 31(Step 402), and the server 31 sends
the response record 120 to an unillustrated client specified by the
response receiver client identifier 122 accordingly.
Next, the explanation of the operation of the server 30 when the client 25
sends a job request to one of the unillustrated output units connected to
another server (herein the server 32) will be given.
In this case, when the job request processing unit 26 receives the job
request record 110 from the client 25, it forwards the job request record
110 to the output unit managing unit 27. Accordingly, the output unit
managing unit 27 retrieves the output unit information by referring to the
type identifier 113 in the job request record 110(Step 102 in FIG. 23),
and it judges the specified output unit is the one connected to the server
32(Step 103). Subsequently, the output unit managing unit 27 generates a
new job request record 110 by adding its server identifier to the request
sender client identifier 112, and sends the new job request record 110 to
the server 32. In case that the server 32 is constructed in the same way
as the server 30, the specified output unit connected to the server 32
duly runs the job upon the receipt of the new job request record 110 and
return a response to the output unit managing unit 27 in the server
30(Step 106). Accordingly, the output unit managing unit 27 generates and
sends the response record 120 to the job request processing unit 26(Step
107), which extracts and sends the response data 123 from the response
record 120 to the client 25.
As a result, the server 30 can send a job request sent from the client
connected to another server to the output units connected to itself and
vice versa.
Note that this embodiment may be combined with the second embodiment
enclosing the client information managing unit 29. In this case, the
client identifier in each record must store a pair of the identifiers
specifying the server and request sender client, so that the client
information can also store such pairs. As well, the server 30 may
communicate with the other servers to provide or update the output unit
information and client information.
FOURTH EMBODIMENT
The construction of a server in accordance with the fourth embodiment is
depicted in FIG. 24. Compared with the first embodiment, the server 21
additionally includes an access authorization managing unit 33. The access
authorization managing unit 33 holds a correspondence table shown in FIG.
25 as to whether a job request is permitted or not in relation with the
client and output unit. The output unit managing unit 27 accesses to this
correspondence table by sending an access authorization request 410, and
it does so only when the output unit information stored therein includes
an entry whose output unit type identifier coincide with the type
identifier 113 in the job request record 110. The access authorization
request 410 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 26, and it includes
information 411 identifying itself as being an access authorization
request, a request sender client identifier 412, and an output unit
identifier 413. Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like
reference numerals with respect to the first embodiment, and the
description of these components is not repeated.
When the access authorization managing unit 33 receives the access
authorization request record 410 from the output unit managing unit 27, it
judges whether an access to the specified output unit is authorized or not
by referring to the correspondence table. Note that the correspondence
table has been prepared by an operator in advance. More precisely, the
access authorization managing unit 33 retrieves an entry whose client
identifier and output unit identifier respectively coincide with the
request sender client identifier 412 and output unit identifier 413 in the
access authorization request record 410 from the correspondence table, and
sends an access authorization information record 420 to the output unit
managing unit 27. The access authorization information record 420 is
formatted as is shown in FIG. 26, and it includes information 421
identifying itself as being an access authorization information,
authorized/non-authorized information 422. The information 422 stores the
data exhibiting an access authorization or an access non-authorization by
the retrieved entry. When the access authorization managing unit 33
retrieves no entry, the information 422 may store data exhibiting either
the accesses authorization or non-authorization.
When the output unit managing unit 27 receives the access authorization
information record 420, it proceeds to the Step 15 and the following steps
in FIG. 5 if the information 422 exhibits authorization. If otherwise, the
output unit managing unit 27 sends the failure notice record 130 to the
job request processing unit 26 by proceeding to Step 14 in FIG. 5. The job
request processing unit 26 accordingly sends the data 133 exhibiting the
access failure to the client 25 by proceeding to the Step 3 and the
following steps in FIG. 4.
By managing the access authorization information at the access
authorization management unit 33, the server 21 can manage the access
authorizations to the output units collectively. Although the detailed
explanation is omitted, this embodiment can be combined with second or
third embodiment. When combined with the second embodiment, the procedure
of the fourth embodiment is simply added to that of the second embodiment;
the server 21 can manage the access authorization in addition to the
output unit information and client information. When combined with the
third embodiment, the access authorization request record 410 and the
client identifier in the access authorization correspondence table must
additionally store the identifiers specifying the server, so that the
server 21 can manage the access authorization to the output units
connected to other servers.
FIFTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the fifth embodiment has the same construction
as the first embodiment. However, the job request processing unit 26 and
the output unit managing unit 27 have additional capabilities. The job
request unit 26 in this embodiment receives the job request record 110
that specifies an output unit from the client 25, and the output unit
managing unit 27 adds the output unit identifier of the output unit that
has run the job to the response data 123. Herein after, like components
are labeled with like reference numerals with respect to the first
embodiment, and the description of these components is not repeated.
Like in the first embodiment, the client 25 sends the job request record
110 to the job request processing unit 26 in the server 21, and the job
request processing unit 26 forwards the job request record 110 to the
output unit managing unit 27.
The output unit managing unit 27 operates as in the same way as the first
embodiment by proceeding to Step 11 through Step 16 in FIG. 5.
The output unit duly runs the job(Step 17), and returns a response to the
output unit managing unit 27. Then, the output unit managing unit 27
generates and sends a response record 510 from the response data to the
job request processing unit 26. The response record 510 is formatted as is
shown in FIG. 27. To distinguish from the response data 120, numerals used
therewith are given in the bracket in the following. The response record
510 includes information 511(121) identifying itself as being a response
(121), a response receiver client identifier 512(122), response data
514(123), and it additionally includes an output unit identifier 513. The
identifier 513 specifies the output unit that has run the job. The other
identifiers store the information as the response data 120 used in the
first embodiment.
Once the job request processing unit 26 receives the response data 510, it
extracts and sends the output unit identifier 513 and response data 514 to
the client 25 specified by the response receiver client identifier 512.
In case that the output unit information includes no entry whose output
unit type identifier coincides with the type identifier 113 in the job
request record 110, the output unit managing unit 27 sends the failure
notice record 130 to the job request processing unit 26 in the same way as
the first embodiment by proceeding Step 19 in FIG. 5. The job request
processing unit 26 in turn sends the response data 133 to the client 25
specified by the response receiver client identifier 512 by proceeding to
Step 6 and Step 4 in FIG. 4.
In the following, the operation of the server 21 when the client 25 sends a
job request to the output unit of the same type after it has received the
response record 510. The server 21 operates almost in the same way as the
case where the client 25 generates the output-unit-specifying job request
record 230 in the second embodiment: the client 25 stores the same value
as the output unit identifier 513 in the response record 510 into the
output unit identifier 233.
Like in the first embodiment, the job request processing unit 26 forwards
the output-unit-specifying job request record 230 directly to the output
unit managing unit 27(Step 321 to Step 324 in FIG. 10), then, the output
unit managing unit 27 sends the transmission data 234 to the output unit
specified by the output unit identifier 233 without referring to the
output unit information. Having duly run the job, the output unit returns
a response to the output unit managing unit 27, which generates the
response record 510 including the output unit identifier 513, and sends
the response record 510 to the client 25 as was explained in the above.
By adding the output unit identifier 513 to the response record 510, the
server 21 can select the same output unit for the job request records 110
specifying the same type from the second occurrence. For example, the
conventional server may divide the data of a single file and send the
divided data to several printers. However, the server 21 can send the data
of the single file to a single printer, for example, the printer 22,
without fail.
Further, by sending the output-unit-specifying job request 230 instead of
the job request records 110 specifying the same type from the second
occurrence, the loading of the server 21 can be reduced; for the output
unit managing unit 27 does not have to refer to the output unit
information.
Although the detailed explanation is omitted, the fifth embodiment can be
combined with the second, third, or fourth embodiment.
SIXTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the sixth embodiment has the same construction
as the first embodiment except that the server 21 is replaced with a
server 34 which additionally includes a history managing unit 35. The
history managing unit 35 holds and manages a correspondence table showing
the correspondence between the identifiers specifying client sender, a
type of an output unit, and an output unit. The correspondence table is
shown in FIG. 29, and it is hereinafter referred to as history
information. Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like reference
numerals with respect to the first embodiment, and the description of
these components is not repeated.
Like in the first embodiment, the client 25 sends the job request record
110 to the job request processing unit 26 in the server 34.
The job request processing unit 26 accordingly generates and sends a
history information request record 610 to the history managing unit 35.
The history information request record 610 is formatted as is shown in
FIG. 30, and it includes information 611 identifying itself as being a
history information request, a request sender client identifier 612, and
an output unit type identifier 613. Note that the client identifier 612
and the type identifier 613 respectively store the same value as the
client identifier 112 and the type identifier 113 in the job request
record 110.
The history information managing unit 35 initially holds blank history
information. However, each time the client 25 sends a job request and the
specified output unit returns a response, the history managing unit 35
records a set of identifiers specifying the request sender client and the
type of the specified output unit, and output unit that has run the job
into the history information.
Having received the history information request record 610, the history
information managing unit 35 retrieves an entry whose client identifier
and output unit type identifier respectively coincide with the request
sender client identifier 612 and type identifier 613 in the history
information request record 610 from the history information, and further
sends a history information record 620 to the job request processing unit
26. The history information record is formatted as is shown in FIG. 30,
and it includes information 621 identifying itself as being history
information, a request sender client identifier 622, an output unit type
identifier 623, and an output unit identifier 624. Note that the request
sender client identifier 622 and type identifier 623 stores the same
values as the request sender client identifier 612 and type identifier 613
of the history information request record 610, respectively. The output
unit identifier 624 stores either the output unit identifier of the entry
retrieved by the history information managing unit 35 or a unique value
exhibiting "no-entry". For example, the unique value may have 0, and the
value of the output unit identifier 624 may have a positive integer.
Having received the history information record 620, the job request
processing unit 26 examines the output unit identifier 624 therein. The
step after this examination subdivides into two steps depending on whether
the history managing unit 35 fails to retrieve an entry or not.
In case that the history information managing unit 35 fails, in other
words, the output unit identifier 624 in the history information record
620 stores the unique value exhibiting "no-entry", the job request
processing unit 26 forwards the job request record 110 from the client 25
to the output unit managing unit 27. The output unit managing unit 27
thereafter proceeds to Step 11 through Step 18 like in the first
embodiment. Note that, however, the job request processing unit 26
receives the response record 510 used in the fifth embodiment in Step 3.
Thus, it extracts and sends response data 514 alone to the client 25
specified by the identifier 512 in Step 4.
The job request processing unit 26 also sends a history information update
request record 630 to the history managing unit 35. The history
information update request record 630 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 30,
and it includes information 631 identifying itself as being a history
information update request, a request sender client identifier 632, an
output unit type identifier 633, and an output unit identifier 634. Note
that the request sender client identifier 632, type identifier 633, and
output unit identifier 634 store the same value as the request sender
client identifier 512 in the response record 510, type identifier 113 in
the job request record 110, and output unit identifier 513 in the response
record 510, respectively. Accordingly, the history managing unit 35 adds
an entry composed of the request sender client identifiers 632, type
identifier 633, and output unit 634 in the history information update
request record 630 to the history information.
On the other hand, when the request sender client identifier 632 in the
history information record 620 does not store the unique value(a
corresponding entry was retrieved), the job request processing unit 26
sends the output-unit-specifying job request record 230 used in the second
embodiment to the output unit managing unit 27. However, unlike the second
embodiment, the output identifier 233 in the output-unit-specifying job
request record 230 stores the same value as the output unit identifier 624
in the history information 620. The request sender client identifier 232
and transmission data 234 respectively store the same values as the
request sender client identifier 112 and transmission data 114 in the job
request record 110 like in the second embodiment.
Having received the output-unit-specifying job request record 230, the
output unit managing unit 27 extracts and sends the transmission data 234
to the output unit specified by the output unit identifier 233 without
referring to the output unit information.
Thereafter, the output unit managing unit 27 operates in the same way as
the first embodiment by proceeding to Step 17, Step 18, and the specified
output unit returns a response to the output unit managing unit 27, which
sends the response record 120 to the job request processing unit 26.
The job request processing unit 26 accordingly sends the response data 124
in the response record 120 to the client 25 in Step 3 and Step 4 in the
same way as the first embodiment.
By keeping the history of the job request that specifies the type of the
output unit, the server 34 can invariably send the job request record 110
specifying the same type of the output units from the client 25 to the
specified output unit alone, making it possible for a single output unit
to execute a plurality of job requests intended to one type of the output
units.
Although the detail explanation is omitted, the sixth embodiment can be
combined with the second, third, or fourth embodiment. When combined with
the second embodiment, the procedure of the sixth embodiment is simply
added to that of the second embodiment; the server 34 manage the history
information in addition to the output unit information and client
information. When combined with third embodiment, the request sender
client identifiers in history information request record 610 and history
information record 620 must additionally include the server identifier. An
example of the combination of the first through fourth and sixth
embodiments is depicted in FIG. 31. Although the detail explanation is
omitted, this combination enables all the effects realized by the first
through sixth embodiments.
SEVENTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the seventh embodiment is depicted in FIG. 32.
A server 36 is connected to clients that send data-output requests 710 and
output units that receive data-output instructions 720 from the server 36,
as well as to the other servers.
The server 36 includes a job request processing unit 37, an output unit
selecting unit 38, a data-output control unit 39 and an output unit
information storage unit 40.
The job request processing unit 37 receives the data-output request 710
from one of the clients and the other servers. The data output request 710
is formatted as is shown in FIG. 33(a), and it includes output data 711
and a data format identifier 712. The data-output request 710 does not
necessarily include an output unit identifier, and the reason why will be
described later. In the drawing, "PS" in the identifier 712 shows that the
output data 711 is formatted according to "PostScript" language.
The output unit information storage unit 40 stores a data-output
information list 740. The data-output information list 740 shows a
correspondence between the data format identifier 712 and an data-output
control instruction 730. The data-output control instruction 730 includes
an identifier for an output unit, to which an output of data in the data
format specified by the data format identifier 712 is permitted. From the
drawing, it is understood that the output control instruction 730 for an
output unit capable of outputting PostScript data is "lpr -Plw", "lpr
-Ptext", "rfax -hfaxA", "lpr -PprA", or "lpr -PprB".
The data-output control instruction 730 may be used for a plurality of
sequential commands. For example, the output control instruction 730
"tiff2ps.vertline.lpr -Plw" for the identifier 712 "TIFF" may be converted
into a command "tiff2ps" by the output control unit 39, so that the output
unit can run a command "lpr -Plw", which is an actual transmission
instruction. Converting the data format prior to the data transmission to
the output unit increases a variety of data formats for the data-output
request 710.
The output unit selecting unit 38 selects an available output unit for the
data-output data 711 by referring to the data-output request 710 sent from
the job request processing unit 37 the data-output information list 740,
and subsequently sends the data-output control instruction 730 and the
output data 711 converted into the data-output request 715 in the adequate
data format. For example, a standard data format such as "cat
filename.vertline.lpr -Plw" may be used for the conversion, or the output
data 711 may be stored temporarily into an unillustrated storage unit and
readout by the data-output request 710 that specifies the name of the file
"lpr -Plw filename".
The output control unit 39 runs the data-output request 715 from the output
unit selecting unit 38, and sends an output instruction 720 to the
selected output unit or the selected server.
Other components for sending a response from the selected output unit or
the selected server to the request sender client or server should be
included; however, the explanation of these components is omitted as they
are not the gist of the present invention.
The operation of the server 36 constructed as above is detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 34, and the explanation thereof will be given in the
following.
Assuming that the data-output request 710 is sent by the client, then the
operator inputs the "PostScript" output data 711 and specifies the data
format identifier 712 "PS", and the client 25 subsequently sends the
output request 710 to the job request processing unit 37. The job request
processing unit 37 accordingly transfers the output request 710 to the
output unit selecting unit 38(Step 61), which subsequently judges whether
the output unit information storage unit 40 stores the data format
identifier 712 "PS"(Step 62).
In case of NO, the output unit selecting unit 38 sends an output failure
notice to the client and ends the operation(Step 63).
Otherwise, like the case shown in FIG. 33(b), the output unit selecting
unit 38 obtains "lpr -Plw", the corresponding output control instruction
730 listed at the top in the data-output list information list 740(Step
64). Thus, the output unit selecting unit 38 generates the output request
715 "lpr -Plw" with the output data 711, and sends the output request 715
to the output control unit 39. In other words, the output unit selecting
unit 38 can select an adequate output unit for the output data 711 when
the operator does not specify the output unit, and sends the data-output
control instruction 730 in the adequate data format to the selected output
unit or the selected server.
Accordingly, the output control unit 39 executes the data-output control
instruction 730 "lpr -Plw", so that it can send the data-output
instruction 720 to the selected output unit in the data format and address
according to the output control instruction 730(Step 65).
When the output control unit 39 sends the data-output instruction 720 to
another server, an adequate output unit connected to that server duly runs
the data-output job.
As has been described, by holding the data format identifier in the storage
unit, the server 37 can send the data-output request to an adequate output
unit without any prior knowledge of the available output units or their
instruction formats.
EIGHTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the eight embodiment is depicted in FIG. 35.
Compared with the seventh embodiment, a server 41 of the eighth embodiment
replaces the job request processing unit 37 with a job request processing
unit 42, and additionally includes a data judging unit 43 and a storage
unit 44 for data format identifier information. Hereinafter, like
components are labeled with like reference numerals with respect to the
seventh embodiment, and the description of these components is not
repeated.
The job request processing unit 42 receives a data-output request 750 from
one of the clients and the other servers. The output request 750 is
formatted as is shown in FIG. 36(a), and it includes output data 751 alone
and excludes the data format identifier unlike the seventh embodiment.
Thus, the job request processing unit 43 adds a data format identifier 761
for the output data 751 and sends the output data 751 and the
corresponding data format identifier 761 to the output unit selecting unit
38.
The data judging unit 43 sends the data format identifier 761 to the job
request processing unit 42 by judging the data format of the output data
751.
The storage unit 44 for data format identifier has stores data format
identifier in the form of a correspondence table 760 shown in FIG. 36(b).
The correspondence table 760 shows a correspondence between the data
format identifier 761 and the information used to judge the data format
such as a location, a method, and a character string.
The operation of the server 41 constructed as above is detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 37, and the explanation thereof will be given in the
following.
Assuming that the client sends the data-output request 750 including the
"PostScript" output data 751 to the job request processing unit 42(Step
61), then the data judging unit 43 judges the data format of the output
data 751 by referring to the correspondence table 760 stored in the
storage unit 44(Step 611). In practice, when the output data 751 begins
with a character string "%!", the data judging unit 43 judges the output
data 751 as being "PostScript".
When the data judging unit 43 fails to identify the data format of the
output data 751, it sends a judging failure notice to the client and ends
the operation(Step 63).
On the other hand, upon identifying the data format, the data judging unit
43 sends the data format identifier 761 "PS" to the job request processing
unit 42(Step 612). Accordingly, the job request processing unit 42 sends
the data format identifier 761 together with the output data 751 to the
output unit selecting unit 38.
The output unit selecting unit 38 operates in the same way as the seventh
embodiment by proceeding to Step 62 through Step 65, and sends the output
instruction 720 to the selected output unit or the selected server.
As has been described, by storing the correspondence between the output
data and data format identifier, the server 41 can select an adequate
output unit or an adequate server for the data-output request that
specifies no data format.
The data judging unit 43 examines the output data 751 to judge the data
format in this embodiment. However, the storage unit 44 may store a data
format recognizing command to each data format identifier 761. In this
case, the data judging unit 43 executes the data format recognizing
command and sends the corresponding data format identifier 761 to the job
request processing unit 42 only when it receives TRUE as result of command
execution.
The storage unit 44 may store the data format identifier 761 with an
extension of a data file name, for example, the extension ".ps" and the
file format identifier "PS", which means the PostScript data format, so
that the data judging unit 43 can identify the data format by examining
the data file name only. Note that the data format can be identified more
accurately when the above additionally described methods are combined.
NINTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the ninth embodiment is depicted in FIG. 38.
Compared with the seventh embodiment, a server 45 of the ninth embodiment
replaces the output unit selecting unit 38 with an output unit selecting
unit 46, and additionally includes an access authorization managing unit
47 and a storage unit 48 for data-output permission information.
Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like reference numerals with
respect to the seventh embodiment, and the description of these components
is not repeated.
The job request processing unit 37 receives an output request 770 from one
of the clients and the other servers in the same way as the seventh
embodiment. However, the output request 770 includes an access
authorization identifier 771 in addition to the output data 711 and data
format identifier 712. The access authorization identifier 771 is, for
example, a user identifier, a client identifier, or a password.
The output unit selecting unit 46 judges whether an access to the output
unit specified by the output control instruction 730 is authorized or not
after it generated the output control instruction 730 by referring to the
data format identifier 712.
The access authorization managing unit 47 manages an data-output permission
to each output unit.
The storage unit 48 for data-output permission information stores a
correspondence table 780 shown in FIG. 39(b). The correspondence table 780
shows the correspondence between an output unit identifier 781 and an
access authorization identifier 782. The access authorization identifier
782 is an identifier, by which the data-output to the output unit
specified by the output unit identifier 781 is permitted.
The operation of the server 45 constructed as above is detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 40, and the explanation thereof will be given in the
following.
Assuming that a client has an access authorization "host2", then the
operator inputs the "PostScript" output data 711, data format identifier
712 "PS", an access authorization identifier 771 "host2". Accordingly, the
client sends the output request 770 to the job request processing unit 37,
which forwards the output request 770 to the output unit selecting unit
46(Step 61).
Then, the output unit selecting unit 46 judges whether the storage unit 40
stores the data format identifier 712 "PS"(Step 62). In case of NO, it
sends an output failure notice to the client and ends the operation(Step
63).
Otherwise, the output unit selecting unit 46 obtains the corresponding
output control instruction 730, for example, "lpr -PprA"(Step 64), and
outputs the output unit identifier 781 "prA" included therein to the
access authorization managing unit 47.
Thus, the access authorization managing unit 47 obtains the corresponding
access authorization identifiers 782 "host1", "host2", "host3" by
referring to the correspondence table 780 in the storage unit 48.
Subsequently, the access authorization managing unit 47 sends these access
authorization identifiers 782 to the output unit selecting unit 46(Step
613). The access authorization managing unit 47 may obtain the output unit
identifier 781 by referring to a correspondent table showing the
correspondence between the data format identifier 712 and the output unit
identifier 781 instead of receiving the output control instruction 730.
Accordingly, the output unit selecting unit 46 judges whether any of these
access authorization identifiers 782 coincides with the access
authorization identifier 771 "host2"(Step 614). In case of N0, the output
unit selecting unit 46 repeats Step 62 through Step 641 to handle other
output control instructions 730 corresponding to the data format
identifier 712 "PS". Otherwise, it generates and sends the data-output
request 715 including the output data 711 and data-output control
instruction 730 to the output control unit 39.
Like in the seventh embodiment, the output control unit 39 executes the
output control 730 "lpr -Ppra" to send the output instruction 720 to the
output unit or one of the other servers(Step 65).
In case that the client sends the output request 770 including the access
authorization identifier 771 "user2", the output control unit 39 returns
to Step 62 from Step 614; for any of the access authorization identifiers
782 corresponding to the output unit identifier 781 "prA" does not
coincide with the access authorization identifier 771 "user2". Thus, the
output control unit 39 sends the output instruction 720 to the output unit
specified by the output unit identifier 781 "prB" included in the
following output control instruction 730 corresponding to the data format
identifier 712 "PS".
As has been described, by holding the correspondence between the output
unit and access authorization at the access authorization managing unit
47, the server 45 can select an appropriate output unit while managing the
access authorization to the output units collectively.
The job request processing unit 37 may be replaced with a set of the job
request processing unit 42, data judging unit 43, and storage unit 44 like
in the eighth embodiment; the operator do not have to specify the data
format identifier in this case.
A unit such that enables the operator to request to the server 45 to
indicate the access authorization 771 may be additionally included; the
client can choose one of the indicated output units even when the output
request 770 does not include the access authorization identifier 771.
Further, a unit such that judges the access authorization from the
data-output request 770 may be additionally included. The unit, for
example, uses an IP address for judgment which is obtained by analyzing an
output request protocol; the operator do not have to specify the access
authorization identifier 771 in this case.
A list of available output units may be prepared in advance, so that the
output unit selecting unit 46 retrieves the output control instruction 730
that includes the output unit identifier 781 and that also corresponds to
the data format identifier 712.
TENTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the tenth embodiment is depicted in FIG. 41.
Compared with the seventh embodiment, a server 49 of this embodiment
replaces the output unit selecting unit 38 to an output unit selecting
unit 50, and additionally includes an output loading managing unit 51 and
an obtained information storage unit 52. Hereinafter, like components are
labeled with like reference numerals with respect to the seventh
embodiment, and the description of these components is not repeated.
The output unit selecting unit 50 selects the output unit capable of
outputting the output data 711, and outputs the data-output request 715 in
the same way as the seventh embodiment. However, the output unit selecting
unit 50 selects an appropriate output unit by judging the loading of each
output unit.
The output loading managing unit 51 outputs an instruction 792 to obtain
output status information to the specified output unit, and accordingly
obtains the output status information 793, on which it computes and sends
an output loading 794 to the output unit selecting unit 50.
The storage unit 52 for obtained information holds a correspondent table
790 shown in FIG. 42. The correspondence table 790 shows the
correspondence between the output unit identifier 791 and the instruction
792. As previously mentioned, the instruction 792 is an instruction to
collect information as to the output loading to compute the output loading
794.
The operation of the server 49 constructed as above is detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 43, and the explanation thereof will be given in the
following.
Like in the seventh embodiment, the job request processing unit 37 receives
the output request 710 from the client(Step 61). Then, the output unit
selecting unit 50 judges whether the storage unit 40 stores the
corresponding data format identifier 712(Step 62). In case of NO, it
proceeds to Step 620 which will be described later, and sends an output
failure notice and ends the operation(Step 63). Otherwise, the output unit
selecting unit 50 obtains the data-output control instruction 730 in the
appropriate data format, for example, "lpr -PprA"(Step 64).
Then, the output loading managing unit 51 obtains the instruction 792 "lpq
-PprA" by referring to the correspondence table 790 in the storage unit
52, and executes the instruction 792(Step 615). Accordingly the output
loading managing unit 51 computes the output loading 794 upon the receipt
of the output status information 793(Step 616). In practice, the output
loading managing unit 51 computes the value of the output loading 794 as
follows: 0 when the output status information 793 shows "no-entry";
20546(bytes) when "active usrl 125 usrl 20546 bytes"; and 1039(bytes) when
"active usrl 125 usrl 1039 bytes".
The output unit selecting unit 50 judges whether the output loading 94 is
larger than 0 or not(Step 617). If the output loading 94 equals to 0, it
judges that the output unit is ready for the job, and proceeds to Step 621
which will be described later.
If the output loading 94 is larger than 0, the output unit selecting unit
50 judges whether there is any other candidate for the output unit for the
data-output request 710, or whether such a candidate has a larger output
loading than the output loading 794 by referring to an unillustrated
temporarily storage of candidate information(Step 618). If there is a
candidate and it has a larger output loading, it stores the most recent
output loading 794 with the output unit identifier 791 into the
temporarily storage for the candidate(Step 619), and returns to Step 62.
On the other hand, when the output unit selecting unit 50 detects a
candidate and it has a has smaller output loading than the output loading
794, it proceeds to Step 621.
More precisely, when the output unit specified by the output unit
identifier 791 "prA" has an output loading of 20546 (bytes), then the
temporarily storage unit stores "prA, 20546"; when the output unit
identifier 791 "prB" has an output loading of 1039 (bytes), then the
temporarily storage erases "prA, 20546" and stores "prB, 1039" as the
latter has a smaller loading.
The output unit selecting unit 50 thereafter repeats the same procedure for
each output unit identifier 791 corresponding to the data format
identifier 712 held in the output information list 740.
Once the output unit selecting unit 50 goes through Step 62 to Step 619 for
each output unit identifier 791, it further proceeds to Step 620 from Step
62 to judge whether there is any candidate for the output unit by
referring to the temporarily storage. In case of N0, it sends the output
failure notice to the client(Step 63) and ends the operation. Otherwise,
it further proceeds to Step 621.
In Step 621, the output unit selecting unit 50 generates and sends the
data-output request 715 from the data-output control request 730 and
output data 711 to the data-output control unit 39. However, it obtains
the data-output control instruction 730 in two ways depending from which
steps the output unit selecting unit 50 has proceeded to Step 621: it
obtains the output control instruction 730 that includes the output unit
identifier 791 of the candidate when such a candidate exists(in the case
it proceeded from Step 620); it obtains the output control instruction 730
that includes the output unit identifier 791 of the output unit having the
0 output loading(in the case it proceeded from Step 617).
Accordingly, the output control unit 39 executes the data-output control
instruction 730, for example, "lpr -PprB", and outputs the data-output
instruction 720 to the selected output unit or selected server(Step 622).
The output unit selecting unit 50 erases the data in the temporarily
storage for a following output request 710(Step 623).
As has been described, by managing the output loading at the output loading
managing unit 51, the server 49 can select an adequate output unit having
the smallest output loading, enabling a load distribution to save the time
for data-output operation.
The output loading 794 uses the number of bytes returned from the output
unit; however, it may be calculated by the time required for the
data-output with referring to the correspondence between output data and
the output unit identifier 791. This method enables the load distribution
according to the data-output rate.
In case the processed data is temporarily stored in a buffer until the
data-output request arrives, the output status information 793 may not be
accurate. To avoid this problem, a higher priority may be given to the
output unit with a buffer having a smaller capacity by referring to
information as to a correspondence between a buffer capacity and the
output unit identifier 791.
The operation speed can be increased by detecting whether the output
loading has 0 or not in Step 617. However, the output unit selecting unit
50 may go through Step 62 through Step 619 for each output unit identifier
791 corresponding to the data format identifier 712.
The output unit selecting unit 50 does not necessarily use the temporarily
storage unit to detect the output unit having the smallest output loading.
A list showing the outputs units in the order of the output loading may be
formed in advance, so that the output unit selecting unit 50 can detect
the availability of each output unit from the top.
It should be noted that this embodiment can be modified as follows:
1) The job request processing unit 37 may be replaced with a set of the job
request processing unit 42, data judging unit 43, and storage unit 44 like
in the eighth embodiment; the operator does not have to specify the data
format identifier in this case.
2) The access authorization managing unit 47 and storage unit 48 may be
added like in the ninth embodiment, so that the output unit selecting unit
50 executes Step 64 for the output unit acquiring the access
authorization.
3) The first and second modifications can be combined and applied to this
embodiment as well.
ELEVENTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the eleventh embodiment is depicted in FIG. 44.
Compared with the seventh embodiment, a server 53 of the eleventh
embodiment replaces the output unit selecting unit 38 with an output unit
selecting unit 54, and additionally includes a data-output condition
managing unit 55 and a storage 56 for data-output condition. Hereinafter,
like components are labeled with like reference numerals with respect to
the seventh and tenth embodiments, and the description of these components
is not repeated.
The job request processing unit 37 receives an output request 810 from one
of the clients and the other servers in the same way as the seventh
embodiment. However, compared with the data-output request 710, the output
request 810 additionally includes a data-output condition identifier 811
exhibiting "resolution" as is shown in FIG. 45(b). The output conditional
identifier 811"resolution" specifies an output unit that has a higher
resolution. The data-output condition identifier 811 may exhibit "output
costs", "physical distance between the client and the output unit", or
"output rate" instead of "resolution".
The output unit selecting unit 54 selects an available output unit for the
output data 711, and outputs the data-output request 715 in the same way
as the seventh embodiment. Note that a higher priority is given to an
output unit having a higher resolution herein.
The output condition managing unit 55 outputs a data-output condition
information 813. The data-output condition information 813 is the output
condition specified by the output condition identifier 811 for the output
unit specified by the output unit identifier 812 sent from the output unit
selecting unit 54.
The storage unit 56 for data-output condition stores a correspondence table
814 shown in FIG. 45(b). The correspondence table 814 shows the
correspondence between the output condition identifier 811, output unit
identifier 812, and output condition information 813.
The operation of the server 49 constructed as above is detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 46, and the explanation thereof will be given in the
following.
Assuming that a client sends the data-output request 810 to the job request
processing unit 37(Step 61), then the output unit selection unit 54 judges
whether the storage 40 stores the data format identifier 712(Step 62) in
the same way as the tenth embodiment. In case of NO, it sends an output
failure notice to the client and ends the operation(Step 63). Otherwise,
it obtains the output instruction 730 in appropriate data format, for
example, "lpr -PprA"(Step 64). Then the job request processing unit 37
sends the output unit identifier 812 "prA" included in the output control
instruction 730 and the output condition identifier 811"resolution"
included in the data-output request 810 to the data-output condition
managing unit 55.
The data-output condition managing unit 55 in turn sends the data-output
condition information 813 "300" to the output unit selecting unit 54(Step
624). The output condition information 813 "300" specifies the resolution
of the output unit as to be 300.
Then, the output unit selecting unit 54 judges whether there is any
candidate for the output unit for the data-output request 810, or whether
such a candidate has a higher resolution than the one obtained in Step 624
by referring to an unillustrated temporarily storage unit (Step 625). If
there is a candidate and it has a higher resolution, the temporarily
storage unit stores the most recent output condition information 813 with
the output unit identifier 812 into the candidate information(Step 626),
and returns to Step 62; when there is a candidate and it has a lower
resolution, it immediately returns to Step 62.
In practice, when the output unit identifier 812 exhibits "prA" and the
output condition information 813 "300", the temporarily storage unit
stores "prA, 300"; when the former has "prB", and the latter has "600",
then it erases "prA, 300" and stores "prB, 600", since "prB" has a higher
resolution.
The output unit selecting unit 54 executes the same procedure for each
output unit identifier 812 corresponding to the data format identifier 712
held in the output information list 740.
Once the output unit selecting unit 54 executes Step 62 through Step 626,
it operates in the same way as the tenth embodiment as follows:
The output unit selecting unit 54 judges whether there is any candidate by
referring to the temporarily storage unit(Step 620). In case of NO, it
sends an output failure notice to the client(Step 63), and ends the
operation. Otherwise, it obtains the output control instruction 730
including the output identifier 812 of the candidate(Step 621), and
outputs the output request 715 including both the output data 711 and
output control instruction 730 to the output control unit 39.
Accordingly, the output unit 39 executes the output control instruction 730
"lpr -PprB" and sends the output instruction 720 to the selected output
unit or the selected server(Step 622).
The output unit selecting unit 38 erases all the data in the temporarily
storage unit for a following data-output request 710(Step 623).
As has been described, by holding the correspondence between the output
data and output data condition at the data-output condition managing unit
55, the server 53 can select an output unit that satisfies the data-output
conditions without the prior knowledge of the available output units,
their capabilities, and instruction data formats.
The eleventh embodiment may be modified as follows.
(First Modification)
The output condition identifier 811 may specify a plurality of output
conditions in the order of priority.
In practice, in Step 625, when the output condition information 813 of the
selected output unit stored in the temporarily storage unit coincides with
the newly obtained output condition 813, the output unit selecting unit 54
compares their priorities, and stores the one having a higher priority
into the temporarily storage unit.
The temporarily storage unit may store information of a plurality of
candidates: with respect to the output condition having the top priority,
when temporarily storage unit has already the output condition information
813 that coincides with the newly obtained output condition information
813, the temporarily storage unit does not erase the current information
and simply adds the new candidate information in Step 625. By so doing,
the temporarily storage unit stores information of more than one
candidates satisfying the output condition having the top priority after a
repetition of the Step 62 through Step 626.
Thus, when the output unit selecting unit 54 detects any candidate in Step
620, it further detects whether there is only one candidate or whether it
performed Step 62 through Step 626 for each output condition. If there is
only one candidate and the output unit selecting unit 54 has performed
Step 62 through Step 626, the output unit selecting unit 54 proceeds to
Step 621 and the following steps. On the other hand, if there are more
than one candidates and it has not performed Step 62 through Step 626 for
each output condition, it returns to Step 62 and repeats the same
procedure for the output condition having a following priority. By so
doing, the output unit selecting unit 54 can find the most appropriate
candidate that satisfies a plurality of output conditions.
Selecting the output unit that satisfies the output conditions does not
depend only on the temporarily storage unit. An output list showing the
output condition information 813 of each output unit in the order of
priority may be prepared in advance, so that the output unit selecting
unit 54 checks the availability of each output unit from the top.
The output conditions may be set in the server 53 in advance. However, in
this case, a higher priority will be automatically given to an output
condition inputted by the operator.
Information as to the candidate may be collected at the request from the
operator or automatically, so that the operator may confirm the
information or select one of the candidates when a plurality of them
exist.
When the output condition limits a distance between the client and the
output unit, the distance to each output unit may be set in the server 53
in advance, or the client and the other servers may send information as to
their locations to the server 53, so that the server can update the output
condition information 813 by computing the distance.
The output condition is not limited to a relative condition such as "high
resolution". Absolute values or a range of values also will do. In this
case, the output unit selecting unit 53 refers to those absolute values or
the range of values instead of the temporarily storage unit. Note that the
output condition includes the specifying of the output unit in this case.
The job request processing unit 37 may be replaced with a set of the job
request processing unit 42, data judging unit 43, and storage unit 44 like
in the eighth embodiment; the operator does not have to specify the data
format identifier in this case.
The access authorization managing unit 47 and storage unit 48 may be added
like in the ninth embodiment; the output unit selecting unit executes Step
64 for the output units acquiring the access authorization.
Also, this embodiment can be combined with both the eight and ninth
embodiment.
The output loading managing unit 51 and storage unit 52 of the tenth
embodiment may be additionally included, so that the output unit selecting
unit 54 selects the candidate having the smallest output loading when
there exist a plurality of candidates that satisfy the data-output
condition. Also, a list showing the output units in the order of output
loading may be prepared: when the temporarily storage units stores the
output condition information 813 that coincides with the new output
condition information 813 obtained in Step 624, the output unit selecting
unit 54 selects the output unit having a smaller output loading as the
most appropriate candidate. This structure may be combined with the eighth
and/or ninth embodiment as well.
In the first modification of this embodiment, the output unit selecting
unit 54 selects the output unit satisfying a plurality of output
conditions, but the output condition may include the output loading. More
precisely, Step 624 may be replaced with Step 615 and Step 616 of the
tenth embodiment, and Step 625 may be replaced with Step 618 of the tenth
embodiment.
The operator may input the output loading as the output condition with a
desired priority, or the storage unit 56 may store the output loading with
the lowest priority.
(Second Modification)
The output time may be additionally specified to the above described
embodiments by adding an output time managing unit. In this case, the job
request processing unit in each embodiment receives the output request
specifying the output time, and the job request processing unit outputs
the data-output request to the output unit selecting unit in each
embodiment at the specified time, for example(a half past ten o'clock,
10:30).
TWELFTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the twelfth embodiment is depicted in FIG. 47.
A server 57 is connected to a group of clients connected to another server
via network. Also, another server that manages the output units and their
operations, which corresponds to a conventional printer server, is
connected to the network. The clients holds information of each output
unit.
The server 57 includes a job request processing unit 58, an information
receiving unit 59, an update processing unit 60, a setting information
storage unit 61, and a sending unit 62.
The job request processing unit 58 receives an information request 910 and
an update request 920 from one of the group of the clients and the
operator.
The information request 910 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 48(a), and it
includes a request identifier 911 and a request sender client identifier
912.
The request identifier 911 specifies a kind of job requests(herein an
information request), while the request sender identification 912
specifies a client that has sent the job request. The request sender
identifier 912 may be an IP address, a name of machine; "host1" is used
herein.
The update request 920 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 48(b), and it
includes the request identifier 911, an update instruction 921, an output
unit type identifier 922, a server identifier 923, and an output unit
identifier 924.
The request identifier 911 specifies a kind of job requests(herein an
update request), while the update instruction 921 specifies the
particulars of update. The output unit type identifier 922 specifies a
type of the output unit such as the printer and facsimile; "printer" is
used herein. The server identifier 923 specifies a server that the
specified output unit is connected to. The output unit identifier 924
specifies the specified output unit.
The job request processing unit 58 judges whether the job request is the
information request 910 or update request 920 by referring to the request
identifier 911. In case of the information request 910, the job request
processing unit 58 forwards the information request 910 to the information
receiving unit 59. Given that the information request 910 includes the
request sender identification 912, the client that has sent the request is
automatically identified. In case of the update request 920, the job
request processing unit 58 forwards the update request 920 to the update
processing unit 60.
The information receiving unit 59 extracts a setting information
correspondence table 930 from the storage unit 61 when it receives the
information request 910 from the job request processing unit 58, and sends
the correspondence table 930 and information request 910 to the sending
unit 62.
The storage unit 61 holds the correspondence table 930 shown in FIG. 49,
and it shows a correspondence between an output unit type identifier 931,
a server identifier 932, an output unit identifier 933. The server
identifier 932 may be left blank, if the output unit can be specified by
any other way.
On the other hand, when the update processing unit 60 receives the update
request 920, it extracts the correspondence table 930 from the storage
unit 61, and judges whether the particulars of the correspondence 930 is
changeable or not in accordance with the update instruction 921 in the
update request 920. In the case shown in FIG. 48(b), the update request
940 includes the output unit type identifier 922 "printer", the server
identifier 923 "king", and the output unit identifier 924 "prA". Thus, the
update processing unit 60 judges wither the correspondence table 930 holds
an entry whose output unit type identifier 931, server identifier 932, and
output unit identifier 933 respectively coincide with the output unit type
identifier 922, server identifier 923, and output unit identifier 924 in
the update request 920. In case of YES, the update processing unit 60
erases the entry from the correspondence table 930 since the update
instruction 921 exhibits "DELETE", and stores the updated correspondence
table 930 into the storage unit 61 while sending the updated
correspondence table 930 to the sending unit 62. In case of NO, it sends
an update failure notice to the operator.
Whereas in the case that when the update instruction 921 exhibits "ADD",
the update processing unit 60 retrieves the correspondence table 930 from
the storage unit 61 upon the receipt of the update request 920. It further
detects whether there is any entry whose output unit type identifier 931,
server identifier 932, and output unit identifier 933 coincide with the
output unit type identifier 922, server identifier 923, and output unit
identifier 924 in the update request 920. In case of YES, the update
processing unit 60 sends an update failure notice to the operator, given
that the correspondence table 930 has already held the corresponding
entry. Otherwise, it adds a new entry consisting of the output unit type
identifier 922, the server identifier 923, and output unit identifier 924
in the update request 920 into the correspondence table 930, and stores
the updated correspondence table 930 in the storage unit 61 while sending
the update correspondence table 930 to the sending unit 62.
The sending unit 62 sends the updated correspondence table 930 to the
client specified by the request sender identifier 912 "host1" in the
information request 910 when it receives the information request 910 and
the updated correspondence table 930 from the information receiving unit
59. On the other hand, it broadcasts the updated correspondence table 930
to the group of the clients when it receives the update correspondence
table 930 from the update processing unit 60 to the group of clients.
Because the update request 920 does not include the request sender client
912, it broadcasts the correspondence table 930.
According to the above construction, each client can collect the output
unit information by sending the information request 910. Moreover, when an
output unit environment has changed and the operator inputs the update
request 920, the group of the clients can collect the most recent output
unit information.
The correspondence table 930 may be updated without any input from the
operator by installing a device that automatically checks the connection
with the output units by receiving a signal from the output units or the
other servers each time the output unit environment changes.
The construction of one of the group of the clients, client 63, is
described in FIG. 50. The client 63 includes a job request processing unit
64, a transmitting unit 65, a setting unit 66, and a storage unit 67 for
output unit information.
The job request processing unit 64 receives a setting request 940 from an
operator of the client 63, and forwards the setting request 940 to the
transmitting unit 65.
The setting request 940 is formatted as is shown in FIG. 51, and it
includes a server identifier 941 such as an IP address or a name of
machine.
The transmitting unit 65 transmits the information request 910 to the
server 57(132,182,10.10) specified by the server identifier
941(132,182,10.10) in the setting request 940 upon the receipt thereof
from the job request processing unit 64. The transmitting unit 65 sets a
timer at the same time when it sends the information request 910,
providing a sufficient time for the server 57 to send the updated
correspondence table 930 as per information request 910. The transmitting
unit 65 awaits for the updated correspondence table 930 from the server 57
until the timer is reset. When the transmitting unit 65 fails to receive
the correspondence table 930 within the set time, it sends an update
failure notice to the operator.
When transmitting unit 65 receives the updated correspondence table 930 as
per the information request 910 from the server 57, or it receives the
updated correspondence table 930 by broadcast with the group of the
clients, the transmitting unit 65 forwards the updated correspondence
table 930 further to the setting unit 66.
The setting unit 66 forwards the correspondence table 930 to the storage
unit 67 upon the receipt thereof from the transmitting unit 65.
The storage unit 67 for output unit information holds output unit
information necessary for the client 63 to use the output units.
In FIG. 47, the flow indicated by a solid line arrow is the procedure when
the client sends the information request 910, while the flow indicated by
a dotted line arrow is the procedure when the operator sends the update
request 920. In FIG. 50, the flow indicated by a sold line arrow is the
procedure when client receives the correspondence table 930 from the
server 57, while the flow indicated by a dotted line arrow is the
procedure when the client receives the set request 940 from the operator.
Although, other components should be included to activate the output unit,
the explanation thereof is omitted; for they are not the gist of the
present invention.
It should be understood that the client 63 refers to the correspondence
table 930 held in the storage unit 67 to output the transmission data to
the output unit. For example, when the client 63 sends the transmission
data to a printer, it retrieves an entry whose output unit type identifier
931 has "printer" from the correspondence table 930, and outputs the
transmission data to the server whose server identifier 932 and output
unit identifier 933 respectively have "king" and "prA".
The operation of server 57 is detailed by the flowcharts in FIGS. 52, 53,
and the explanation thereof will be given in the following.
First, a case that the client 63 sends the information request 910 shown in
FIG. 48(a) will be explained. When the job request processing unit 64
receives the setting request 940 from the operator(Step 71), the
transmitting unit in the client 63 sends the information request 910 to
the server 57(Step 73), and sets a timer at the same time(Step 74).
Accordingly the transmitting unit 65 awaits for the correspondence table
930 from the server until the timer is reset(Step 76).
On the other hand, the job request processing unit 58 in the server 57
requests the judgment upon the receipt the information request 910(Step
81), and outputs the information request 910 to the information receiving
unit 59. Accordingly the receiving unit 59 retrieves and sends the
correspondence table 930 from the storage unit 61 to the sending unit
62(Step 83).
The sending unit 62 sends the correspondence table 930 to the client 63
that has sent the information request 910 by referring to the request
sender client identifier 912.
Upon the receipt of the correspondence table 930(Step 76), the transmitting
unit 65 forwards the correspondence table 930 to the setting unit 66(Step
77), which accordingly stores the correspondence table 930 into the
storage unit 67(Step 78).
When the transmitting unit 65 fails to receive the correspondence table 930
within the set time(Step 75), it sends a setting failure notice to the
operator(Step 79), and returns to Step 71.
Next, a case where the server 57 receives the update request 920(FIG.
48(b)) from the operator will be explained. The job request processing
unit 58 outputs the update request 920 to the update processing unit 60
upon the receipt thereof(Step 81). Then update processing unit 60
retrieves the correspondence table 930 from the storage unit 61(Step 84),
and judges whether it can update the correspondence table 930 by referring
to the update request 920(Step 85). In case of YES, the update processing
unit 60 updates the correspondence table 930 and accordingly stores the
updated correspondence table 930 into the storage unit 61(Step 86).
The sending unit 62 broadcasts the correspondence table 930 to the group of
the clients(Step 87) and returns to Step 81.
When the transmitting unit 65 in the client 63 receives the updated
correspondence table 930 from the sending unit 62 by broadcast(Step 73),
it forwards the updated correspondence table 930 to the setting unit
66(Step 77). Then, the setting unit 66 stores the updated correspondence
table 930 into the storage unit 67(Step 78).
When the update processing unit 61 judges that the correspondence table 930
can not be updated(Step 85), it sends an update failure notice to the
operator(Step 88), and returns to Step 81.
As has been described, the server 57 can easily set and update the output
unit information by sending the setting request 940.
In Step 73, a unit to hold the server identifier may be added; or the
transmitting unit 65 may broadcast the information request 910 to a
plurality of servers, so that the server 57 can update the output unit
information of the client 63 without the prior knowledge of the server's
IP address.
A device capable of detecting a change in the output unit environment by a
change of network address of the client 63 may be included, so that the
output unit information can be automatically updated without any input
from the operator.
Also, when the transmitting unit 65 fails to receive the correspondence
table 930 within the set time, the output unit selecting unit 53 may send
the information request 910 to the server 57 for several times after the
set time has passed instead of sending the setting failure notice and
ending the operation instantly.
THIRTEENTH EMBODIMENT
A server in accordance with the thirteenth embodiment is depicted in FIG.
54. Compared with the twelfth embodiment, with a server 68 of the
thirteenth embodiment, the setting information storage unit 61 is replaced
with a setting information storage unit 69 of access control type and the
sending unit 62 is replaced with a sending unit 70 of access control type.
Hereinafter, like components are labeled with like reference numerals with
respect to the twelfth embodiment, and the description of these components
is not repeated.
The storage unit 69 holds a correspondence table 950 shown in FIG. 55(a),
which shows a correspondence between the output unit type identifier 931,
the server identifier 932, the output unit identifier 933, and permission
information 951. The server identifier 932 in the correspondence table 950
may be left blank, if the server can be specified by any other way. The
permission information identifier 951 specifies an permitted client for
data-output to the output unit specified by the output unit type
identifier 931, server identifier 932, and output unit identifier 933.
From FIG. 48(a), it is understood that for the client specified by the
request sender identifier 912 "host1", the output is permitted to the
output unit specified by the output unit type identifier 931 "printer",
server identifier 932 "king", and output unit identifier 933 "prA".
The job request processing unit 58 receives a job request, and it judges
whether the request is the information request 910 from the client 63, or
an update request 960 from the operator, and outputs the former to the
information receiving unit 59 and the latter to the update processing unit
60.
The update request is formatted as is shown in FIG. 55(b), and it includes
the request identifier 911, update instruction 921, output unit type
identifier 922, server identifier 923, output unit identifier 924, and
permission information 961. Like the correspondence table 950, the server
identifier 923 may be blank if the server can be specified in any other
way.
The information receiving unit 59 forwards both the information request 910
from the job request processing unit 58 and the correspondence table 950
from the storage unit 69 to the sending unit 70.
The update processing unit 60 retrieves the correspondence table 950 from
the storage unit 69 upon the receipt of the update request 960 from the
job request processing unit 58, and judges whether it can update the
correspondence table 950 or not by referring to the update request 960. It
retrieves an entry whose type identifier 931, server identifier 932, and
output unit identifier 933 respectively coincide with the type identifier
922, server identifier 923, and output unit identifier 924 in the update
request 960. Like the case shown in FIG. 55(b) where the update
instruction 921 exhibits "DELETE", it further detects whether the
permission information 951 of the corresponding entry coincides with the
permission information 961 in the update request 960. In case of YES, it
erases the corresponding entry from the correspondence table 950 to add
that entry to the updated correspondence table 950, and stores the updated
correspondence table 950 into the storage unit 69, while sending both the
updated correspondence table 950 and update request 960 to the sending
unit 70. In case of NO, or the permission information 951 and 961 do not
coincide, it sends an update failure notice to the operator.
In case that the update instruction 921 exhibits "ADD", it retrieves the
correspondence table 950 from the storage unit 69 upon the receipt of the
update request 960, and detects whether there is any entry whose type
identifier 931, server identifier 932, output unit identifier 933
respectively coincide with the type identifier 922, server identifier 923,
output unit identifier 924 in the update request 960. When it detect a
corresponding entry, it sends an update failure notice to the operator.
When it fails to detect any entry, it adds that entry composed of the type
identifier 922, server identifier 923, output unit identifier 924 in the
update request 960 to the correspondence table 950, and stores the updated
correspondence table 950 into the storage unit 69. It further outputs both
the updated correspondence table 950 and update request 960 to the sending
unit 70.
Upon the receipt of the information request 910 and the updated
correspondence table 950, the sending unit 70 retrieves corresponding
entry from the corresponding table 950 when the permission information 951
coincides with the request sender identifier 912 "host1" in the
information request 910, and extracts the output unit type identifier 931
"printer", server identifier 932 "king", and the output unit identifier
933 "prA"(FIG. 48(a)). The entry thus formed corresponds to the one in the
correspondence table 930, hence hereinafter referred to as such. The
sending unit 70 sends the correspondence table 930 thus generated to the
request sender client specified by the request sender client identifier
912 "host1" in the information request 910. On the other hand, it sends a
failure notice to the request sender client when the permission
information 951 and request sender identifier 912 do not coincide.
On the other hand, upon the receipt of the correspondence table 950 and
update request 960, the sending unit 70 judges that the request be sent to
a plurality of clients by referring to the update request 960, and
accordingly, it broadcast the correspondence table 930 generated by the
sending unit 70 to all the clients "host1, host2, . . ." specified by the
permission information 961 in the update request 960.
In FIG. 54, the flow indicated by a solid arrow is the procedure when the
server 68 receives the information request 910 from the client, while the
flow indicated by a dotted line arrow is the procedure when the server 68
receives the update request 960 from the operator.
The operation of the server 68 constructed as above is detailed by the
flowchart in FIG. 56, and the explanation thereof will be given in the
following.
Upon the receipt of a job request, the job request processing unit 58
judges whether the job request is the information request 910 from the
client 63 or update request 960 from the operator(Step 91). In case of the
former, it forwards the information request 910 to the information
receiving unit 59, and in case of the latter, it sends the update request
960 to the update process unit 60 and proceeds to Step 96.
Upon the receipt of the information request 910, the information receiving
unit 59 sends both the correspondence table 950 in the storage unit 69 and
the information request 910 to the sending unit 70(Step 92).
The sending unit 70 accordingly extracts corresponding entry to the
information request 910 by referring to the permission information
951(Step 93), and removes the permission information 951 from the
corresponding entry to obtain and send the correspondence table 930 to the
client 63(Step 95), and returns to Step 91. When the sending unit 70 fails
to extract any entry, it notifies that no output unit is permitted for the
client 63(Step 94) and returns to Step 91.
On the other hand, in case that the update processing unit 60 receives the
update request 960, it retrieves the correspondence table 950 from the
storage unit 69(Step 69), and judges whether it can update the
correspondence table 950 by referring to the update request 960(Step 97).
In case of YES, it updates the correspondence table 950 in accordance with
the update request 960, and stores the updated correspondence table 950
into the storage unit 69(Step 98). Further it sends the updated
correspondence table 950 and update request 960 to the sending unit 70. In
case of NO, it notifies an update failure to the operator(Step 100), and
returns to Step 91.
Accordingly, the sending unit 70 extracts the output unit information with
the data-output permission by referring to the permission information 951
in the updated correspondence table 950 for each client specified by the
permission information 961 in the update request 960, subsequently sends
the correspondence table 930 to each specified client(Step 99), and
returns to Step 91.
The setting information is not limited to "DELETE" and "ADD", and it may
include an update instruction for the permission information to save the
operator's labor and prevent an exceeding traffic.
The update request 960 includes the permission information herein. However,
in case that the update request 960 has "DELETE", two components may be
additionally included. One of them is used to receive the update request
960 with a blank permission information 961; and the other is used of
identifying the permission information 951 of the entry whose type
identifier 931, server identifier 932, and output unit identifier 933
respectively coincide with type identifier 922, server identifier 923, and
output identifier 924 in the update request 960. By sending the update
request 960 with the blank permission information 961, the labor of the
operator can be saved.
Although the present invention has been fully described by way of example
with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that
various changes and modification will be apparent to those skilled in the
art. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart
from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as being
included therein.
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